The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has launched a new program to recruit and retain early career scientists from underrepresented groups in the life sciences. The Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program will select awardees through open competition; applications will be assessed for scientific achievement in prior research experiences, demonstrated potential for a career as an independent investigator, and quality of the training environment with a selected mentor.

In this two-phase program, fellows will be supported from early postdoctoral training through several years of a tenure-track faculty position. During the postdoctoral phase, each fellow will receive a salary of $60,000 per year and $20,000 in flexible funds for up to four years, with mentoring and active involvement within the HHMI community. During the independent faculty phase, fellows will receive $250,000 per year for research support along with $20,000 annually in flexible funds for another four years. In the first competition cycle, HHMI will select up to 15 fellows and invest a total of up to $25 million for their support over eight years.

This grant competition is open to individuals from gender, racial, ethnic, and other groups underrepresented in the life sciences at the career stages targeted by this program, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Applicants must have a Ph.D. and/or  M.D. by the anticipated start of the grant term and can have no more than 12 months postdoctoral experience at the time of the application due date.

The online application opens on Sept. 19, 2016 with an application due date of Feb. 15, 2017. The selection of fellows will be made by the end of September 2017 and grants can start as early as November 15, 2017, but no later than January 15, 2018.