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Today, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute revealed the selection of the latest Hanna Gray Fellows, a group of 25 exceptional early-career scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to making foundational discoveries while fostering an inclusive culture within academic science.
The Institute will allocate up to $1.5 million in backing for each fellow during a span of up to eight years, covering both postdoctoral training and the transition to establishing their independent lab as faculty. This assistance provides each fellow the liberty to pursue complex scientific inquiries at the leading edge of their disciplines.
The latest cohort consists of scientists engaged in research areas ranging from treatment-resistant cancers to sleep dysregulation and the adaptation of animals to terrestrial life. Through their accomplished careers, Hanna Gray Fellows will advance science and will recruit, mentor, and inspire the upcoming generation of scientists from diverse backgrounds.
“HHMI is dedicated to investing in scientists willing to confront some of the greatest challenges of our era,” stated HHMI Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer Leslie Vosshall. “Our Hanna Gray Fellows are not just outstanding scientists; they are also leaders who have shown their commitment to cultivating a more inclusive future for science.”
Since the program was established in 2016, HHMI has devoted over $190 million to the Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program by selecting more than 140 fellows, over 30 of whom are already leading successful, independent labs as faculty throughout the nation.
In addition to financial aid, the newest cohort joins the dynamic, multi-generational HHMI community, where fellows collaborate with experts and with each other to create healthy research environments that are innovative, bold, inclusive, and effective. The Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program is committed to supporting scientists from a wide range of backgrounds and regions. This year’s newly announced fellows completed their academic training at a diverse array of institutions.
Where the 2024 Hanna Gray Fellows Studied
| California Institute of Technology | Claremont McKenna College | Columbia University |
| Cornell University | Duke University | Harvard University |
| Hong Kong University of Science & Technology | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Mayo Clinic | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | Miami University |
| Morehouse School of Medicine | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | Savannah State University |
| State University of New York at Oneonta | The Rockefeller University | The University of Texas at Dallas |
| Truman State University | University of California, Berkeley | University of California, Davis |
| University of California, San Diego | University of California, San Francisco | University of California, Santa Barbara |
| University of Florida | University of Kansas | University of Maryland Baltimore County |
| University of Minnesota, Duluth | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pittsburgh |
| University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez | University of Washington | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Washington & Jefferson College | Washington University in St. Louis | Weill Cornell Medicine |
| Yale University |
The program is named in honor of Hanna Holborn Gray, former chair of the HHMI board of trustees and previous president of the University of Chicago. During her time, the Institute implemented significant alterations to its selection process for the scientists it supports, thereby broadening its applicant pool.
A competition for the subsequent group of Hanna Gray Fellows is now open. In 2025, the Institute will once again choose up to 25 fellows to be announced in early 2026. This contest is available to all qualified applicants, and no nomination is necessary. Discover more about the Hanna H. Gray Fellows Program and this year’s open competition on the program page.
During the process of development, the gastrointestinal tract originates from three embryonic layers which evolve into the epithelial lining, musculature, and enteric nervous system. The formation of these layers is crucial for hormone secretion, food digestion, and nutrient absorption. To gain a deeper understanding of how the stomach develops, Maple Adkins-Threats is employing human stem cell cultures and bioengineered devices (organ-on-a-chip) to model and identify the regulators involved in gastric tissue assembly and development. Insights gained from examining how the stomach develops could enhance therapies for gastric disorders.
In contrast to folded proteins, intrinsically disordered proteins do not possess a well-defined three-dimensional configuration. This characteristic complicates their targeting for therapeutic intervention. Jhullian Alston aims to comprehend how these dynamic proteins interact.with DNA and other proteins. He explores their functions in transcription regulation and cancer by employing a blend of single-molecule methodologies and computational biophysics. By comprehending how functionality is encoded within disordered protein sequences, he aims to formulate novel approaches to target previously undruggable proteins.
Bacterial viruses, known as phages, are intracellular parasites that depend on host metabolism for their survival and propagation. Paige Arnold examines how phages exploit bacterial metabolic pathways to facilitate their own spread and how bacteria, in response, take advantage of phage reliance on host metabolism to escape destruction. Arnold anticipates that this research will reveal metabolic weaknesses in bacteria that could be targeted to combat bacterial infections in mammalian cells.
Amma Asare’s investigations center on deciphering how ovarian cancer cells evolve to withstand medical treatments, thereby making each recurrence increasingly difficult to manage. By leveraging advanced deep DNA sequencing methods to scrutinize individual cancer cells during treatment, her work endeavors to uncover the specific alterations that allow these cells to fend off therapies. Findings from this research could lead to groundbreaking strategies to inhibit the growth of cancer cells and enhance treatment results for patients facing recurrent ovarian cancer.
As the initial line of defense in the immune system, macrophages exhibit significant potency within the immune response across various diseases, including cancer. Nonetheless, macrophages can also inhibit the immune system, frequently aiding disease advancement. Camillia Azimi’s research is directed at engineering innovative chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to reprogram macrophages at the disease site for precise disease management. This endeavor aims to enhance our comprehension of macrophage signaling and to manipulate macrophage activity in the pursuit of developing new strategies in innate immunotherapy.
Disrupted sleep is a common aspect of substance use disorders and mood disorders, particularly among women. Nevertheless, the brain mechanisms underlying these emotional interactions with sleep/wake systems remain inadequately explored. Brittany Bush intends to investigate how sexually dimorphic brain regions – such as the extended amygdala and hypothalamus – contribute to sleep, stress, and reward behaviors. She aims to clarify the basis of sex differences in the relationship between sleep dysregulation, drug-seeking behaviors, and maladaptive stress responses.
As the largest organ within the human body, the skin plays a crucial role in maintaining health and barrier protection. Jim Castellanos, an anesthesiologist and immunologist, aims to elucidate how immune cells interact with the skin’s stem cells to facilitate healing and regeneration, establish microbiome balance, and create epigenetic memories of inflammation. His inquiry will shed light on the molecular dynamics of human skin repair, potentially leading to the identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic approaches for critically ill burn patients.
The genome represents an arena where various genes vie for inheritance. Self-serving genes, particularly, manipulate the formation of eggs and sperm to skew inheritance in their favor. This form of “cheating” creates conflicts within the genome. If unresolved, these conflicts may result in fertility defects across numerous organisms, including humans. Peiwei Chen investigates the evolution and mechanisms of genetic disputes to provide broadly applicable insights into genome biology and reproductive processes.
Throughout our lives, we encounter various infectious agents. Cori Fain investigates how the body’s previous infections can change the landscape and functionality of the brain, potentially leading to accelerated brain aging. She examines the accumulation of tissue-resident memory T cells within the brain and their influence on the decrease in the brain’s capacity to generate new neurons. Through her research, she aims to address the question: Can immune responses age your brain, and does neuronal memory have to be sacrificed for immune memory?
Injuries to peripheral nerves initiate significant cellular transformations required to repair damaged neurons. Sasha Fulton is creating innovative gene therapy instruments to investigate this enigmatic process with unparalleled accuracy. She utilizes these tools to delve into cellular regenerative mechanisms in rodents, particularly in a species possessing remarkable evolutionary adaptations for enhanced healing – the naked mole rat. Her objective is to identify the regulatory factors responsible for nerve repair and cultivate new therapies for nerve injuries.
Riley Galton is exploring diapause, a state of suspended animation that enables many vertebrates – ranging from sharks to mammals – to halt embryonic development in response to changes in the environment. By investigating the molecular pathways involved, she aims to comprehend the functionality of diapause, its evolutionary origins, and how genomes adjust to varying environments. This research enhances our understanding of vertebrate development and evolution while also bearing significant implications for conservation efforts and human reproductive medicine.
Plants are extraordinary chemists, synthesizing a vast variety of bioactive compounds for medicinal, energetic, and agricultural purposes. Colin Kim is fascinated by the manner in which plants have developed intricate metabolic pathways to generate these compounds efficiently. His emphasis lies in deciphering the organization of the biosynthesis of these molecules on tissue, single-cell, and subcellular levels. By unraveling the biological processes behind plant chemistry, Kim aspires to create sustainable approaches for the production and design of useful molecules inspired by nature.
Grant King is intrigued by the emergence of novelty within the cell biology of eukaryotes. He studies a specific evolutionary innovation: the 2-micron plasmid found in budding yeast, a notably stable extrachromosomal DNA entity that has survived in its hosts for millions of years. He examines how yeast cells have adapted to accommodate, restrict, and, possibly, derive advantages from this genomic passenger. His research aims to provide insights into the foundational principles guiding the evolution of new cellular traits.
We navigate through a milieu filled with bacteria and viruses. While many of these microorganisms pose no threat, some are pathogenic and endanger our health. How does the innate immune system discern benign microbes from harmful pathogens? Grace Liu posits that the answer lies in apprehending pathogens in the act as they exploit host pathways for their benefit. By discovering new immune surveillance mechanisms that detect pathogen activities, she intends to devise techniques to thwart viral spread and mitigate autoimmunity.
Communication between the gut and the brain is fundamental for functions like digestion, satiety, and nausea. Alejandro López-Cruz, a scientist and gastroenterology fellow, harnesses systems neuroscience methodologies to explore how nutritional and aversive signals from the gut and other parts of the body are perceived in the brainstem to modulate feeding, gastrointestinal motility, and nausea. Gaining a deeper understanding of…
the mechanisms that oversee these processes will eventually result in the formulation of targeted therapies for conditions such as obesity.
Effective therapies for chronic pain are insufficient due to the fact that preliminary studies in animal models frequently do not translate well to human subjects. To address this challenge, Juliet Mwirigi examines the biology of chronic pain in both rodent and human sensory neurons, concentrating on evolutionarily conserved mechanisms to devise improved treatments. Her work focuses on membrane receptors, which regulate cell signaling and serve as crucial targets for pharmaceuticals. Utilizing advanced methodologies, she investigates the locations of these receptors, their functional mechanisms, and their variations across species.
Insects utilize a wide range of taste receptors to make essential choices regarding feeding, mating, and oviposition. Julianne Peláez seeks to comprehend how genetic variability in insect taste receptors leads to structural differences that ultimately result in diverse behaviors both within and among species. By integrating gene-editing, electrophysiological techniques, and structural biology, she aspires to gain a broader understanding of how taste receptors operate in various insects – from pollinating honeybees to disease-transmitting mosquitoes.
Evolutionary transformations during ancient transitions from aquatic to terrestrial habitats required significant modification of molecules, cells, and organs so that animals could engage with significantly different surroundings. Loranzie Rogers is leveraging amphibian metamorphosis as an exceptional model to explore how animals reprogram fundamental molecular functions to transition from aquatic to terrestrial living within a single lifespan. These investigations will yield essential insights into how cellular systems are altered to support new characteristics and behaviors.
Following the divergence of humans and chimpanzees from a shared ancestor over five million years ago, distinct genetic alterations influenced the human brain’s development, facilitating language, advanced cognition, and intricate behaviors. Daniela Soto aims to uncover the genetic underpinnings of human brain evolution by examining human-specific varieties of messenger RNA – molecules that assist in translating genetic data into functional proteins – utilizing cutting-edge long-read sequencing techniques. Her research not only sheds light on the evolution of our brain but also provides valuable insights into neuropsychiatric disorders that are distinctively human.
Biomolecular condensates play a critical role in regulating autophagy, a cellular process responsible for eliminating unwanted cellular constituents, by restructuring cell membranes to encapsulate damaged organelles and proteins for degradation. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanisms that govern these condensate-membrane interactions remain poorly understood. To investigate this, Alex Stevens is developing synthetic biomolecular condensate tools to examine the physical principles that underlie autophagy. By enhancing our comprehension of these processes, these tools will pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies aimed at conditions associated with autophagy defects, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancers, and metabolic issues.
The mammalian retina transforms light into visual signals and transmits them to higher brain regions. Whitney Stevens-Sostre investigates how various groups of voltage-gated ion channels – fundamental membrane proteins that respond to voltage changes and control the movement of ions – influence the response to stimuli, connections, and inherent excitability of retinal neurons. By employing single-cell electrophysiology and high-resolution microscopy, she aims to elucidate the functional contributions of voltage-gated ion channels in modulating retinal responses to light stimuli at various developmental phases.
Degenerative conditions affecting the retina can result in an irreversible impairment of visual capabilities. Salamanders possess the remarkable ability to regenerate functional retinal neurons following damage, yet the genetic mechanisms that facilitate this regenerative process remain unclear. Jared Tangeman is exploring retinal regeneration in salamanders to pinpoint the evolutionary adaptations that govern injury-induced neurogenesis. By utilizing these insights in the mammalian retina, he aims to enhance cellular therapies aimed at addressing blindness.
The effects of infections caused by specific pathogens can vary significantly among individuals. While some individuals suffer from mild illness, others may develop severe infections. These varied responses are influenced by complex, unpredictable interactions between the immune system and the pathogen. Tiffany Taylor is investigating the mechanisms through which hosts and pathogens engage with one another, as well as how these interactions evolve during the course of an infection. Gaining insights into the variability of host-pathogen dynamics can aid in anticipating individual responses to infections.
The advancements known as the “resolution revolution” in structural biology have provided unparalleled understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying protein functionality. Nevertheless, these revelations do not offer a complete picture, as they omit the essential context of the cellular environment. José Velilla is harnessing progress in electron microscopy and mass spectrometry to connect atomic and cellular perspectives in the examination of G protein-coupled receptor signaling originating from atypical locations within cells. G protein-coupled receptors play vital roles in numerous physiological functions, including vision, taste, blood pressure regulation, and glucose metabolism.
The recurrent colonization of terrestrial habitats by marine species represents one of the most significant evolutionary milestones in the progression of life on Earth. However, transitions from sea to land are infrequent and complex, necessitating substantial alterations across nearly all aspects of an animal’s biology. Utilizing terrestrial crabs as a novel model system, Victoria Watson-Zink investigates the evolution of land-dwelling organisms, aiming to comprehend how particular genomic, physiological, and developmental alterations may have facilitated the emergence of terrestrial life.
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