Investigator Program

Investigator Program is sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Investigator Program seeks to expand HHMI's community of basic researchers and physician-scientists who catalyze discovery research in basic and biomedical sciences, plant biology, evolutionary biology, biophysics, chemical biology, bio…

Mid-Career & Senior Faculty Program | HHMI Investigators HHMI Investigators are established researchers, including physician-scientists, who push the boundaries of basic biological and biomedical sciences, working across many scientific disciplines in a wide range of organisms at institutions across the US .

Investigators create inclusive, collaborative research environments that prepare early career scientists for future success, and their fundamental discoveries have been broadly recognized by the scientific community, including Nobel Prizes awarded to more than 30 current or emeriti Investigators .

Investigators are HHMI employees who receive full salary and benefits from the Institute while maintaining academic appointments and labs at their home institutions.

Once appointed to a seven-year, renewable term, Investigators receive financial support for their research, access to capital equipment funds, and induction into the vibrant HHMI community of Investigators, Freeman Hrabowski Scholars , Hanna Gray Fellows and Gilliam Fellows , and more.

Eligibility for the program has been expanded to include scientists who have held their first independent faculty position for a minimum of seven years, with no upper career-stage limit.

Last updated: July 9, 2026 Get the latest HHMI and program news in your inbox Who’s Eligible: Mid-career and senior faculty with at least seven years of lab head experience; must be from an HHMI eligible institution Support Includes: Salary, benefits, research support and capital equipment, and professional development, as HHMI employees Duration: Seven years of initial appointment, renewable indefinitely with successful review Competition: Every 5 years, next competition opens late 2027 Life as an HHMI Investigator Freedom to pursue your boldest ideas Each Investigator receives generous support over a seven-year term, renewable indefinitely pending successful review.

Investigators remain affiliated with their institution and become employees of HHMI, receiving their full salary, benefits, and research budgets through the Institute. Robust equipment allotment As a supplement to core support, Investigators may also submit capital equipment requests to the Institute for scientific equipment necessary to their research.

Join a vibrant scientific community Investigators are part of a large, active community of HHMI scientists spanning career stages who collaborate and attend scientific meetings to share new research. Get HHMI News in your inbox