Cristina Rodríguez named 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar
The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) has named Cristina Rodríguez, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, a 2025 Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. Rodríguez is among 30 outstanding early career faculty selected from nearly 900 applicants nationwide for this highly competitive honor.
The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program recognizes outstanding early career faculty who have the potential to become leaders in their research fields and to create lab environments in which everyone can thrive. Each scholar receives up to $8.6 million over a potential 10-year period, that includes full salary, benefits, a substantial research budget, and funding for scientific equipment. They also participate in professional development to advance their leadership and mentoring skills.
Rodríguez develops novel advanced optical imaging technologies that allow scientists to visualize biological processes as they occur in living systems. Her lab integrates multiphoton microscopy with sophisticated light-shaping techniques, including adaptive optics, to overcome fundamental limitations in imaging depth, resolution, and speed. These innovations enable her team to observe neuronal circuits in the rodent spinal cord in real time, revealing how neural networks process sensory information from the body.
"I'm grateful to HHMI for this incredible honor and to Yale for its support," Rodríguez said. "These resources will help us build the next generation of imaging tools, which will not only advance our own research but also empower discoveries across biology. Just as important, this award strengthens my commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists and fostering an academic environment where they can thrive."
The Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program was launched by HHMI in 2022 and is named in honor of Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President Emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Rodríguez joins an elite cohort of researchers whose work spans the biological and biomedical sciences. Her selection reflects both her passion for innovative research and her commitment to fostering an environment where diverse scientific talent can flourish.
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Published Date
Oct 6, 2025
