HHMI launches new competition to identify patient-oriented researchers

HHMI launches new competition to identify patient-oriented researchers

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (http://www.hhmi.org/) has announced a new national competition to identify and appoint outstanding physician-scientists as HHMI investigators. The institute expects to select about fifteen new researchers by the fall of 2007 and will commit approximately $200 million to their first term of appointment.

The competition will identify researchers who lead patient-oriented research programs and whose scientific work is informed by their interaction with patients. According to HHMI, the researchers are in a unique position to exploit advances in our knowledge of the human genome and other recent advances to make discoveries that will improve human health.

The new competition will differ from previous HHMI competitions in that eligible researchers with faculty appointments at 121 participating institutions (including MUSC) will be able to apply directly without going through an internal selection process by their institution.
(11/22/06)

In 2002, the institute completed its first competition dedicated to physician-scientists who conduct patient-oriented research, selecting twelve HHMI investigators from among 138 nominees.

For more information, go to: http://www.hhmi.org/news/20061116porcomp.html
Source: HHMI Press Release, November 16, 2006