FUNDING MEMO
Title: Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program - 2024
Funding Agency: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
External Deadline(s):
02/28/2024 12:00 PM PST (Full Proposal)
Cognizant Office: Office of Sponsored Research/Office of Foundation Relations
Description:
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) initiatives foster equitable and inclusive scientific environments where everyone can thrive regardless of their background, disability, gender, ethnicity, or race. The Hanna H. Gray Fellows program seeks to increase diversity in the professoriate by supporting early career researchers who show exceptional promise of becoming academic scientists, which includes the potential to build and contribute to an equitable and inclusive scientific culture. Through their successful careers, Hanna Gray Fellows will move science forward and will recruit, mentor, and inspire the next generation of scientists from all backgrounds.
Fellows receive funding for their postdoctoral training and during their early years as independent faculty. In addition to financial support, they benefit from professional development, mentorship, a cohort of peers, and inclusion in HHMI's broader scientific community.
Total Award: Varies
-
Postdoc Phase (2-4 years):
Fellows will receive an annual salary, $80,000 for the initial year, and a $20,000 expense allowance that is paid through a non-renewable grant to the training institution.
- It is anticipated that an annual 3% salary increase will be provided in each subsequent training year.
- Salary supplementation is allowed; however, funds for supplementation must be provided by the institution and not derived from the expense allowance awarded to the fellow by this program.
-
Faculty Phase (up to 4 years):
Fellows will receive $250,000 in research funding and a $20,000 expense allowance per year, paid through a non-renewable grant to the institution where they have attained a faculty position.
- These funds can support salary and benefits of the fellow and laboratory research personnel as well as standard research- related expenses.
- This faculty award may be used to cover no more than 25% of the fellow’s 12-month salary.
- Also provides $20,000 annually to the sponsoring institution that may be used at the discretion of the fellow for dependent-care costs or expenses related to their scientific career development. These funds, if not used for the purposes listed above, may also be used for standard research-related expenses including support of personnel (other than the HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow).
Indirect Costs:
-
Postdoc Phase: The postdoctoral phase of the award does not provide indirect costs.
- This postdoc phase will be considered a “true fellowship” and will not be subject to Caltech’s minimum overhead requirement, however, an approved MORA and DAF are still required.
-
Faculty Phase: Provides an additional 20% of research grant ($50,000 per year) for indirect costs.
- If employed by Caltech during the Faculty Phase, the Institute's minimum overhead rates will apply. Caltech’s minimum overhead rate is based on the award’s annual gross funding. Please refer to the FY24 Annual Rate Memo for applicable minimum overhead requirements. Applicants must work within their division to account for the required overhead via an approved MORA form.
Duration: Varies
- Postdoc Phase: This phase of the award is for a minimum of two and maximum of four years.
- Faculty Phase: This phase of the award has a maximum length of four years.
- Awards begin January of 2025.
Discipline(s): Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Humanities and Social Sciences
Eligibility: Postdoc
-
The program application is open to individuals who:
- Are basic science researchers and physician-scientists in the biomedical and life science disciplines;
-
Hold a PhD and/or MD (or equivalent), which must be conferred by the start of the grant term;
- If your training institution for your graduate degree is in the U.S., including Puerto Rico, you may be of any nationality.
- If your training institution for your graduate degree is not in the U.S., you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.
- Have been accepted to join a laboratory as a postdoctoral researcher, led by a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at an eligible institution in the US, including Puerto Rico, at the time of the application due date.
- Fellows in both postdoctoral training and faculty phases are required to devote at least 75% of their total effort to research.
- Fellows must commit to a minimum of two years of postdoctoral training in this position after the grant start date.
- To transition to the faculty phase of the program, fellows must obtain a tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position at an eligible research institution with a doctoral-level graduate program in their area of interest.
-
Applicants should have no more than 24 months of postdoctoral research experience by the application due date.
- If you are a PhD applicant, the date or anticipated date of conferral of your doctoral degree must be on or after February 28, 2022, and before January 15, 2025.
- If you are an MD or MD/PhD applicant in residency, clinical fellowship, or postdoctoral training you can have no more than 24 months of postdoctoral training by the application deadline on February 28, 2024.
-
The Hanna H. Gray Fellows program is designed to encourage, support, and develop promising scientists from a broad range of backgrounds, including backgrounds that historically have been underrepresented in the sciences. The program therefore encourages candidates with all backgrounds and personal characteristics to apply, including candidates with backgrounds or personal characteristics that are historically underrepresented in the sciences.
- This includes, but is not limited to, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, from rural or less-resourced geographic areas, the first in their families to go to college or obtain a graduate degree, members of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups, LGBTQ+ and non-binary persons, women, and persons with disabilities.
- Reviewers do not evaluate a candidate’s application on the basis of any protected characteristics.
Research Areas of Interest:
-
Supported disciplines:
- Biochemistry
- Bioengineering
- Biophysics
- Cancer Biology
- Cell Biology
- Chemical Biology
- Computational Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Genetics
- Immunology
- Medicine & Translational Research
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
- Parasitology
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
- Plant Sciences
- Structural Biology
- Systems Biology
- Virology
- Fellows are expected to contribute to the growing community of Hanna Gray Fellows, participate in professional development activities, attend an HHMI science meeting each year, and provide an annual progress report.
Recent Caltech Recipients:
- Elsy Buitrago-Delgado (2019)
- Nicolás Peláez (2017)
Guidelines & Other Information:
Overview and Guidelines: https://www.hhmi.org/programs/hanna-h-gray-fellows
Eligibility: https://www.hhmi.org/programs/hanna-h-gray-fellows#eligibility
Detailed Award Information: https://www.hhmi.org/programs/hanna-h-gray-fellows#award-information
2024 Program Booklet: https://www.hhmi.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/2024-program-booklet-hanna-h-gray-fellows-program.pdf
FAQ: https://www.hhmi.org/programs/hanna-h-gray-fellows/faq
Previous Fellows: https://www.hhmi.org/programs/hanna-h-gray-fellows-program#Fellows
Please notify the Foundation Relations team if you anticipate making a submission or if you have any questions regarding this opportunity. We are here to help ensure that Caltech’s proposals are competitive. We can assist with proposal development and advise you on the routing of your paperwork. Interested researchers should work with their division grant manager to prepare the budget, the MORA form, and the Division Approval Form (DAF). Submissions and awards for this grant program will be processed through the Office of Sponsored Research.
Opportunity ID: 1810