Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program
Fellowship details

Excellence in science depends on the development of scientists from all backgrounds. HHMI initiatives foster inclusive scientific environments where everyone can thrive.
The Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program is a transformational award for early career researchers who show exceptional promise of becoming outstanding leaders in academic science, making foundational discoveries while building an 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, Hanna Gray Fellows join the vibrant multigenerational HHMI community, where fellows learn with experts and each other how to build healthy research environments that are creative, bold, inclusive, and effective.
Announcements of previous cohorts:
2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017
The program supports early career scientists with the potential to become leaders in academic research. Fellows receive funding to support their postdoctoral training and may continue to receive funding during their early career years as independent faculty.
Postdoctoral Training Phase
Fellows will receive an annual salary, $80,000 for the initial year, and an annual $20,000 expense allowance. This phase of the award is for a minimum of two and a maximum of four years.
Faculty Phase
Fellows will receive $250,000 in research funding and a $20,000 expense allowance per year, paid through a grant to the institution where they have attained a faculty position. This phase of the award has a maximum length of four years.
Conditions of the award
- Fellows in both Postdoctoral Training and Faculty Phases are required to devote 75% of their total effort to research.
- To transition to the faculty phase of the program, a fellow must obtain a tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position at an HHMI eligible research institution.
- 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.
January 8, 2025
Application Open
February 26, 2025
Application deadline (3:00 p.m. ET)
March 5, 2025
Mentor materials due
September 2025
Finalists notified
October 14-15, 2025
Finalists interviewed
October 2025
Fellows notified
January 15, 2026
Awards begin
You are eligible to apply if you:
- are a basic science researcher or physician-scientist in the biological and biomedical sciences in the many scientific disciplines that HHMI supports.
- 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 deadline.
- will commit 75% of your total effort to research in a postdoctoral training position by the grant start date.
- will commit to a minimum of two years of postdoctoral training in this position after the grant start date.
- hold a PhD and/or MD (or equivalent) which is conferred by the start of the grant term.
- If your training institution for your graduate degree is in the US, including Puerto Rico, you may be of any nationality.
- If your training institution for your graduate degree is not in the US, you must be a US citizen or US national.
- 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 26, 2023, and before January 15, 2026.
- 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 26, 2025.
The 2025 application includes the following components:
- A summary of your educational and research training record
- A description of your PhD research, including up to 3 selected research articles
- A questionnaire that we will send to your PhD advisor
- Narrative statements regarding your motivation to become an academic researcher and to build an inclusive lab culture, and how your personal lived experiences relate to your values, priorities, and career goals
- Your postdoctoral research plan
- A questionnaire for you and your postdoctoral mentor about the training plan and training environment
- A curriculum vitae and lab census provided by your postdoctoral training mentor
Evaluation focuses on each applicant’s unique career path and scientific contributions, and what each person will bring to their role as a future leader of a scientific research lab.