How to Apply for Anthropic Guest Investigators

Anthropic opened applications on 22 October 2026 for guest investigators in the life sciences. Principal investigators and their research groups can propose projects that use Claude for 8 to 12 weeks of direct collaboration with Anthropic researchers. The company covers model compute costs and supports open-sourcing of results.

The program targets academic institutions, nonprofits, and government labs. It focuses on causal human biology, structural and computational molecular biology, medicinal chemistry, drug discovery, and clinical science. Applications remain open for about 14 days.

What the Program Provides

Selected teams work directly with Anthropic researchers on a defined scientific problem. Anthropic runs its models and internal harnesses at no cost to the investigators. The collaboration produces analyses, artifacts, and tools useful to the research group.

Teams retain full rights to their data throughout the project. They also keep rights to any independent follow-on research that emerges from the work. Anthropic and the investigators plan to publish outputs together and open-source accompanying data and code.

Projects can extend beyond the initial period in some cases. The goal is preliminary evidence or concrete deliverables within the 8- to 12-week window, even if full validation takes longer.

Who Qualifies

Applicants must be principal investigators leading research groups at academic institutions, nonprofits, or government labs. Private companies and startups are not eligible.

The proposal should show why direct collaboration with Anthropic researchers adds value beyond standard model access. It should also explain how the team can produce a preliminary discovery, an answer to an open question, an open-source dataset, or a public resource inside the collaboration period.

Include only publicly available information in the application materials. Anthropic does not request or receive the investigators’ private data during application or the project.

Eligible Research Domains

The open call covers five areas:

• Causal human biology
• Structural and computational molecular biology
• Medicinal chemistry
• Drug discovery
• Clinical science

These domains span different levels of existing AI application. Strong proposals identify a specific problem of interest to the field, the team’s unique qualifications, expected impact, and the benefit of working alongside Anthropic researchers.

How to Prepare a Proposal

Start with a clear scientific problem. Describe the question, why it matters, and what success looks like in 8 to 12 weeks. Explain the team’s expertise and why Anthropic’s models and harnesses, plus direct researcher collaboration, would accelerate progress.

Outline expected outputs. These can include preliminary findings, analysis pipelines, open datasets, or tools. Note any plans for publication or open-sourcing.

Applications take under 30 minutes. Anthropic aims to decide within about 14 days after the window closes and will notify selected teams by email.

Step-by-Step Application

1. Visit the Anthropic guest investigator program page at anthropic.com/guest-investigator-program.
2. Review the eligibility criteria and research domains.
3. Prepare a short proposal covering the problem, your qualifications, expected outcomes, and the value of collaboration.
4. Submit the form. Include only public information.
5. Wait for notification. Decisions arrive roughly 14 days after applications close.

Successful proposals make a concrete case for the collaboration and for deliverables within the timeframe. Projects that need longer validation still qualify if they can show early evidence.

After Selection

Selected groups work with Anthropic researchers for the agreed period. Anthropic handles model runs and harnesses. The teams focus on scientific direction, analysis of results, and preparation of outputs.

Data rights stay with the investigators. Open-sourcing and joint publication follow the agreement. Some projects may extend.

This program sits alongside other Anthropic science efforts. Researchers who need broader model access for biology work can also consider the Life Sciences Verification Program. For computational genomics tools from other providers, see our guide on How Researchers Query AlphaGenome Atlas Variant Scores.

Tips for a Strong Application

Focus on one well-defined problem rather than a broad research agenda. Highlight why the 8- to 12-week window can produce something concrete, such as a pilot analysis or dataset.

Emphasize the unique benefit of direct collaboration, not just model access. Show how Anthropic researchers would help shape experiments, interpret results, or build tools.

Keep the proposal concise. Clear reasoning about impact and feasibility matters more than length. Reference relevant prior work or open questions in the field.

Conclusion

Anthropic’s guest investigators program gives life sciences research groups a short, high-intensity collaboration with its researchers and models at no compute cost. Applications are open for a limited window starting 22 October 2026. Teams that can define a focused problem and realistic early outputs have a clear path to apply.

Researchers interested in AI-assisted biology should review the official call and prepare a proposal that explains both the scientific need and the collaboration value.

Sources

• Anthropic: Open call for guest investigators in the life sciences, 22 October 2026, anthropic.com/news/open-call-guest-investigators-life-sciences
• Anthropic guest investigator program application page, anthropic.com/guest-investigator-program
• Anthropic: Introducing the Life Sciences Verification Program, 17 September 2026