The Howard Hughes Medical Institute announced today that it has awarded $16.25 million in new grants to 43 outstanding biomedical researchers in Canada and five Latin American countries.

The five-year grants support the research of scientists in fields such as genetics, epidemiology, virology and neuroscience. These scientists are investigating a wide variety of biomedical topics, including the molecular bases of parasitic diseases that are prevalent in much of Latin America, the genetic origins of cancer and the mechanisms that control cell growth.

The grants range from $266,665 to $450,000 over five years. The recipients hold full-time appointments at nonprofit scientific institutions in the six countries, have made significant contributions to biomedical research and have significant publications in international English-language, peer-reviewed scientific journals.

The newly named International Research Scholars are citizens of Argentina (15), Brazil (4), Canada (13), Chile (3), Mexico (7) and Venezuela (1). The grants provide salaries for students and other laboratory personnel, equipment and supplies, and travel to visit research collaborators or attend international scientific conferences. The grants also include funds to support the International Research Scholars' institutions, thereby assisting other scientists. Twenty-three of the new grantees have previously received HHMI grants.

The Institute currently supports International Research Scholars in 29 countries. Since 1991, it has awarded over $100 million in grants through its international program. The international program and HHMI grants in support of science education in the U.S complement the Institute's primary mission of carrying out biomedical research with its own scientists at 72 locations across the United States. HHMI's annual budget is approximately $650 million.

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Contact: Cindy Fox Aisen
aisenc@hhmi.org
317-843-2276
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
15-Jan-2002