$16 Million Awarded to Biomedical Researchers

A total of US$16.25 million in new grants has been awarded to 43 outstanding biomedical researchers in Canada and five Latin American countries by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (Chevy Chase, MD, USA; www.hhmi.org).

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 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.

The recipients hold full-time appointments at nonprofit scientific institutions in the six countries, have made significant contributions to biomedical research, and have had significant publication of their work in international English-language peer-reviewed scientific journals. The new 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. Funds are also provided to help support the institutions at which they work. In all, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute currently supports International Research Scholars in 29 countries.