Howard Hughes Medical Institute facts for kids
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| Founded | 1953 |
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| Founder | Howard Hughes |
| Focus | Biological and Medical research and Science Education |
| Location | |
| Method | Laboratories, Funding |
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Key people
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Revenue (2022)
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-US$2.303 billion (due to losses on investments) |
| Expenses (2022) | US$853 million |
| Endowment | US$24 billion |
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Employees
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2,300 (2022) |
| Website | hhmi.org |
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) is a large non-profit organization in the United States. It focuses on medical research and biological research. It is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
The institute was started in 1953 by Howard Hughes. He was a very rich and famous American businessman, pilot, and film director. HHMI is one of the biggest private groups that gives money for science research in the U.S. Each year, it spends about $825 million to help scientists discover new things.
HHMI has a lot of money, about $22.6 billion. This makes it one of the wealthiest groups that supports good causes in the U.S. It used to own the Hughes Aircraft Company, which was a big aerospace company.
Contents
How HHMI Started and Grew
The institute was created to do basic research. Howard Hughes wanted to understand "the genesis of life itself." In its early days, HHMI was seen as a way for Hughes to manage his large personal fortune. He gave his shares of Hughes Aircraft to the institute. This made the big defense company a tax-exempt charity.
For many years, the institute worked to keep its non-profit status. Starting in the late 1950s, it began funding scientists at different universities. However, it remained a small organization for several decades.
Early Locations and Changes
HHMI first started in Miami, Florida, in 1953. By 1975, Howard Hughes was the only person in charge of the institute. This meant he also controlled the Hughes Aircraft Company.
In the mid-1970s, the institute moved to Coconut Grove, Florida. Then, in 1976, it moved to Bethesda, Maryland. Finally, in 1993, HHMI moved to its current main office in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
Growth After Howard Hughes
After Howard Hughes passed away in 1976, the institute grew a lot. Its yearly budget went from $4 million in 1975 to $15 million in 1978. Before Hughes Aircraft was sold, the budget reached $200 million per year.
Most of the money for the medical institute came from the company's defense systems work. During this time, HHMI started focusing on genetics, immunology, and molecular biology.
Selling Hughes Aircraft
Howard Hughes died without a will. This led to long court cases to decide what would happen to his fortune. In 1984, new people were chosen to manage the institute's money.
In 1985, these new managers decided to sell Hughes Aircraft. On June 5, 1985, General Motors (GM) bought the company for about $5.2 billion. This sale made the institute's funds grow much larger.
New Research Campuses and Open Access
In 2006, HHMI finished building a new research campus in Ashburn, Virginia. It is called Janelia Research Campus. This campus is designed for advanced scientific research. It has a very long main laboratory building.
In 2007, HHMI and the publisher Elsevier made an agreement. This agreement allows research articles funded by HHMI to be available to the public six months after they are published. In 2022, HHMI started requiring immediate open access for its research publications. This means scientific papers are available right away for everyone to read.
Leadership and Awards
In 2008, Robert Tjian was chosen as the new president of HHMI. In 2009, HHMI gave awards to fifty researchers. These were part of the HHMI Early Career Scientist Competition.
In 2014, the institute started a new round of its main award program. This provided $150 million in award money. In 2016, Erin K. O'Shea became the new president of HHMI. The institute is also expanding its Ashburn campus.
What HHMI Spends Money On
HHMI spends its money on important things. Most of it goes to medical research. A smaller part is used for science education and other science programs. Some money also covers general running costs.
See also
In Spanish: Instituto Médico Howard Hughes para niños
- List of wealthiest foundations
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Main category: Howard Hughes Medical Investigators
