Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Encyclopedia
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is a United States
non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland
. It was founded by the American
businessman Howard Hughes
in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological
and medical research in the United States
. HHMI spends about $1 million per HHMI Investigator per year, which amounts to annual investment in biomedical research of about $825 million. The institute has an endowment of $16.1 billion
, making it the second-wealthiest philanthropic organization in the United States and the second best endowed medical research foundation in the world. HHMI is the former owner of the Hughes Aircraft
Company - an American
aerospace
firm which was divested to various firms over time.
to the institute, in effect turning the large defense contractor into a tax-exempt charity. For many years the Institute grappled with maintaining its non-profit status; the Internal Revenue Service
challenged its "charitable" status which made it tax exempt. Partly in response to such claims, starting in the late 1950s it began funding 47 investigators researching at eight different institutions; however, it remained a modest enterprise for several decades. The institute was initially located in Miami, Florida in 1953. In the mid-1970s it moved to Coconut Grove, Florida, and then in 1986 it moved to its current location in Bethesda, Maryland. Hughes' internist, Dr. Verne Mason
, who treated Hughes after his 1946 plane crash, was chairman of the institute's medical advisory committee.
It was not until after Hughes' death in 1976 that the Institute's profile increased from an annual budget of $4 million in 1975 to $15 million by 1978. In this period it focused its mission on genetics
, immunology
and the rapidly growing field of molecular biology
. Since Hughes died without a will as the sole trustee of the HHMI, the Institute was involved in lengthy court proceedings to determine whether it would benefit from Hughes' fortune. In April 1984, a court appointed new trustees for the institute's holdings. (The original trustees were: Helen K. Copley, Donald S. Frederickson, M.D., Frank William Gay, James H. Gilliam, Jr., Esq., Hanna H. Gray, Ph.D., William R. Lummis, Esq., Irving S. Shapiro, Esq., George W. Thorn, M.D.). In January 1985 the trustees announced they would sell Hughes Aircraft either by private sale or public stock offering. On June 5, 1985 General Motors
(GM) was announced as the winner of a secretive five month, sealed-bid auction. The purchase was completed on December 20, 1985 for an estimated $5.2 billion, $2.7 billion in cash and the rest in 50 million shares of GM Class H stock. The proceeds caused the institute to grow dramatically.
HHMI completed the building of a new research campus in Ashburn, Virginia
called Janelia Farm Research Campus
in October 2006. It is modeled after AT&T's Bell Labs
and the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology. With a main laboratory building nearly 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, it contains 760000 square feet (70,606.3 m²) of enclosed space, used primarily for research. The campus also features apartments for visiting researchers.
In 2007, HHMI and the publisher Elsevier announced that they have established an agreement to make author manuscripts of HHMI research articles published in Elsevier and Cell Press journals publicly available six months following final publication. The agreement takes effect for articles published after September 1, 2007. In 2008, the Trustees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute selected Robert Tjian
as the new president of HHMI. In 2009, HHMI awarded 50 researchers, as part of the HHMI Early Career Scientist Competition.
Howard Hughes Medical Investigators
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
non-profit medical research organization based in Chevy Chase, Maryland
Chevy Chase (CDP), Maryland
Chevy Chase is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The population was 9,381 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Chevy Chase is located at ....
. It was founded by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
in 1953. It is one of the largest private funding organizations for biological
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
and medical research in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. HHMI spends about $1 million per HHMI Investigator per year, which amounts to annual investment in biomedical research of about $825 million. The institute has an endowment of $16.1 billion
1000000000 (number)
1,000,000,000 is the natural number following 999,999,999 and preceding 1,000,000,001.In scientific notation, it is written as 109....
, making it the second-wealthiest philanthropic organization in the United States and the second best endowed medical research foundation in the world. HHMI is the former owner of the Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
Company - an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
firm which was divested to various firms over time.
History
Initially, the institute was formed with the stated goal of basic research including trying to understand, in Hughes' words, "the genesis of life itself." Despite its principles, in the early days it was generally viewed as largely a tax haven for Hughes' huge personal fortune. Hughes was the sole trustee of HHMI and transferred all his stock of Hughes AircraftHughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
to the institute, in effect turning the large defense contractor into a tax-exempt charity. For many years the Institute grappled with maintaining its non-profit status; the Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
challenged its "charitable" status which made it tax exempt. Partly in response to such claims, starting in the late 1950s it began funding 47 investigators researching at eight different institutions; however, it remained a modest enterprise for several decades. The institute was initially located in Miami, Florida in 1953. In the mid-1970s it moved to Coconut Grove, Florida, and then in 1986 it moved to its current location in Bethesda, Maryland. Hughes' internist, Dr. Verne Mason
Verne Mason
Verne Rheem Mason was an eminent internist and associate of Howard Hughes. Mason was chairman of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's medical advisory committee.-Early years:...
, who treated Hughes after his 1946 plane crash, was chairman of the institute's medical advisory committee.
It was not until after Hughes' death in 1976 that the Institute's profile increased from an annual budget of $4 million in 1975 to $15 million by 1978. In this period it focused its mission on genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, immunology
Immunology
Immunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the...
and the rapidly growing field of molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
. Since Hughes died without a will as the sole trustee of the HHMI, the Institute was involved in lengthy court proceedings to determine whether it would benefit from Hughes' fortune. In April 1984, a court appointed new trustees for the institute's holdings. (The original trustees were: Helen K. Copley, Donald S. Frederickson, M.D., Frank William Gay, James H. Gilliam, Jr., Esq., Hanna H. Gray, Ph.D., William R. Lummis, Esq., Irving S. Shapiro, Esq., George W. Thorn, M.D.). In January 1985 the trustees announced they would sell Hughes Aircraft either by private sale or public stock offering. On June 5, 1985 General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM) was announced as the winner of a secretive five month, sealed-bid auction. The purchase was completed on December 20, 1985 for an estimated $5.2 billion, $2.7 billion in cash and the rest in 50 million shares of GM Class H stock. The proceeds caused the institute to grow dramatically.
HHMI completed the building of a new research campus in Ashburn, Virginia
Ashburn, Virginia
Ashburn, Virginia is a census-designated place located in Loudoun County, Virginia, northwest of Washington, D.C., and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area...
called Janelia Farm Research Campus
Janelia Farm Research Campus
The Janelia Farm Research Campus is a research campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute that opened in October 2006. The campus is located in Loudoun County, Virginia, near the town of Ashburn...
in October 2006. It is modeled after AT&T's Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
and the Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology. With a main laboratory building nearly 1000 feet (304.8 m) long, it contains 760000 square feet (70,606.3 m²) of enclosed space, used primarily for research. The campus also features apartments for visiting researchers.
In 2007, HHMI and the publisher Elsevier announced that they have established an agreement to make author manuscripts of HHMI research articles published in Elsevier and Cell Press journals publicly available six months following final publication. The agreement takes effect for articles published after September 1, 2007. In 2008, the Trustees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute selected Robert Tjian
Robert Tjian
Robert Tjian is a U.S. biochemist best known for his work on eukaryotic transcription. He is currently Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley and an investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute...
as the new president of HHMI. In 2009, HHMI awarded 50 researchers, as part of the HHMI Early Career Scientist Competition.
See also
Howard Hughes Medical Investigators