Kansas City, Mo. (Jan. 31, 2008) – Alejandra Figueroa-Clarevega, a Research Technician in the Gibson Lab, has been selected for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study.

     The Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study provides full support for graduate training in biomedical research to outstanding students who are from groups underrepresented in the sciences. The award honors the late James H. Gilliam Jr., a charter Trustee of HHMI who was committed to fostering a diverse scientific community. HHMI awards up to five Gilliam Fellowships each year.

     Figueroa-Clarevega, a native of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, joined the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in September 2007. She holds an undergraduate degree in Biology and Biomedial Sciences from Washington University in St. Louis.

     “Alejandra is a remarkable young scientist with tremendous potential,” said Matt Gibson, Ph.D., Assistant Investigator. “She represents a rare combination of the ability to ‘think big’ with the determination to work hard at the bench. I expect her to achieve great things in the future.”

     Gilliam Fellows may pursue a Ph.D. or Sc.D. in the biological sciences at any institution of higher education in the United States. The total award for each Gilliam Fellow is $44,000 annually. Fellowships are awarded on the basis of the candidate’s promise as a scientific investigator, as assessed by a panel of scientists and scientist educators selected by HHMI.

About the Stowers Institute
     Housed in a 600,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility on a 10-acre campus in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research conducts basic research on fundamental processes of cellular life. Through its commitment to collaborative research and the use of cutting-edge technology, the Institute seeks more effective means of preventing and curing disease. The Institute was founded by Jim and Virginia Stowers, two cancer survivors who have created combined endowments of $2 billion in support of basic research of the highest quality.