diff --git a/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/BioFSharp.BioTools.fsproj b/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/BioFSharp.BioTools.fsproj
index 3c1c410c..d2c86476 100644
--- a/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/BioFSharp.BioTools.fsproj
+++ b/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/BioFSharp.BioTools.fsproj
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     <Compile Include="BioContainer.fs" />
     <Compile Include="Blast.fs" />
     <Compile Include="ClustalO.fs" />
+    <Compile Include="HMMER.fs" />
     <Compile Include="TargetP.fs" />
     <None Include="BioFSharp.BioTools.fsx" />
   </ItemGroup>
diff --git a/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/HMMER.fs b/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/HMMER.fs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b971dda4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/BioFSharp.BioTools/HMMER.fs
@@ -0,0 +1,321 @@
+namespace BioFSharp.BioTools
+
+// adaped from the hmmer usage guide at http://eddylab.org/software/hmmer/Userguide.pdf
+// HMMER: biosequence analysis using profile hidden Markov models (http://hmmer.org/)
+
+module HMMER =
+
+    open BioContainer
+
+    module HMMbuild =
+        //Usage: hmmbuild [-options] <hmmfile_out> <msafile>
+
+        ///Options for selecting alphabet rather than guessing it:
+        //  --amino : input alignment is protein sequence data
+        //  --dna   : input alignment is DNA sequence data
+        //  --rna   : input alignment is RNA sequence data
+
+        type AlphabetType =
+            ///input alignment is protein sequence data
+            | AminoAcids
+            ///input alignment is DNA sequence data
+            | DNA
+            ///input alignment is RNA sequence data
+            | RNA
+
+            static member make = function
+                | AminoAcids->  ["--amino"]
+                | DNA       ->  ["--dna"]
+                | RNA       ->  ["--rna"]
+
+        ///Alternative model construction strategies:
+        //  --fast           : assign cols w/ >= symfrac residues as consensus  [default]
+        //  --hand           : manual construction (requires reference annotation)
+        //  --symfrac <x>    : sets sym fraction controlling --fast construction  [0.5]
+        //  --fragthresh <x> : if L <= x*alen, tag sequence as a fragment  [0.5]
+
+        type ModelConstructionCustom =
+            | Fast
+            | Manual
+            | SymFraction       of float
+            | FragmentThreshold of float
+
+            static member make = function
+                | Fast                  -> ["--fast"]
+                | Manual                -> ["--hand"]
+                | SymFraction sf        -> ["--symfrac"; string sf]
+                | FragmentThreshold ft  -> ["--fragthresh"; string ft]
+
+        ///Alternative relative sequence weighting strategies:
+        //  --wpb     : Henikoff position-based weights  [default]
+        //  --wgsc    : Gerstein/Sonnhammer/Chothia tree weights
+        //  --wblosum : Henikoff simple filter weights
+        //  --wnone   : don't do any relative weighting; set all to 1
+        //  --wgiven  : use weights as given in MSA file
+        //  --wid <x> : for --wblosum: set identity cutoff  [0.62]  (0<=x<=1)
+
+        type RelativeSequenceWeightingCustom =
+            ///Henikoff position-based weights
+            | PositionBased
+            ///Gerstein/Sonnhammer/Chothia tree weights
+            | GSC
+            ///Henikoff simple filter weights
+            | Blosum
+            ///for Blosum: set identity cutoff (0<=x<=1)
+            | BlosumIdentityCutoff of float
+            ///don't do any relative weighting; set all to 1
+            | NoRelativeWeighting
+            ///use weights as given in MSA file
+            | Given 
+            
+            static member make = function
+                | PositionBased         -> ["--wpb"]
+                | GSC                   -> ["--wgsc"]
+                | Blosum                -> ["--wblosum"]
+                | BlosumIdentityCutoff c-> ["--wid"; string c]
+                | NoRelativeWeighting   -> ["--wnone"]
+                | Given                 -> ["--wgiven"]
+
+        ///Alternative effective sequence weighting strategies:
+        //  --eent       : adjust eff seq # to achieve relative entropy target  [default]
+        //  --eclust     : eff seq # is # of single linkage clusters
+        //  --enone      : no effective seq # weighting: just use nseq
+        //  --eset <x>   : set eff seq # for all models to <x>
+        //  --ere <x>    : for --eent: set minimum rel entropy/position to <x>
+        //  --esigma <x> : for --eent: set sigma param to <x>  [45.0]
+        //  --eid <x>    : for --eclust: set fractional identity cutoff to <x>  [0.62]
+
+        type EffectiveSequenceWeightingCustom =
+            ///adjust eff seq # to achieve relative entropy target
+            | EntropyTargeted
+            ///for EntropyTargeted: set minimum rel entropy/position to <x>
+            | MinimalEntropy        of float
+            ///for EntropyTargeted: set sigma param to <x>  [45.0]
+            | EntropySigma          of float
+            ///eff seq # is # of single linkage clusters
+            | SingleLinkageClusters
+            ///for SingleLinkageClusters: set fractional identity cutoff to <x>  [0.62]
+            | ClusterIdentityCutoff of float
+            ///no effective seq # weighting: just use nseq
+            | NoEffectiveWeighting
+            ///set eff seq # for all models to <x>
+            | Set                   of float
+
+            static member make = function 
+                | EntropyTargeted           -> ["--eent"]
+                | SingleLinkageClusters     -> ["--eclust"]
+                | NoEffectiveWeighting      -> ["--enone"]
+                | Set s                     -> ["--eset";   string s]
+                | MinimalEntropy me         -> ["--ere";    string me]
+                | EntropySigma es           -> ["--esigma"; string es]
+                | ClusterIdentityCutoff c   -> ["--eid";    string c]
+
+
+        ///Alternative prior strategies:
+        //  --pnone       : don't use any prior; parameters are frequencies
+        //  --plaplace    : use a Laplace +1 prior
+        //  --popen <x>   : force gap open prob. (w/ --singlemx, aa default 0.02, nt 0.031)
+        //  --pextend <x> : force gap extend prob. (w/ --singlemx, aa default 0.4, nt 0.75)
+
+        type PriorCustom =
+            ///don't use any prior; parameters are frequencies
+            | NoPrior
+            ///use a Laplace +1 prio
+            | Laplace
+            ///force gap open prob.
+            | ForcePGapOpen     of float
+            ///force gap extend prob
+            | ForcePGapExtend   of float
+
+            static member make = function 
+                |NoPrior            -> ["--pnone"]
+                |Laplace            -> ["--plaplace"]
+                |ForcePGapOpen f    -> ["--popen"; string f]
+                |ForcePGapExtend f  -> ["--pextend"; string f]
+
+        type SubstitutionScoreMatrix =
+            |PAM30      
+            |PAM70 
+            |PAM120 
+            |PAM240 
+            |BLOSUM45 
+            |BLOSUM50 
+            |BLOSUM62 
+            |BLOSUM80 
+            |BLOSUM90
+            |DNA1
+
+            static member make = function
+                |PAM30   -> "PAM30"
+                |PAM70   -> "PAM70"
+                |PAM120  -> "PAM120"
+                |PAM240  -> "PAM240"
+                |BLOSUM45-> "BLOSUM45"
+                |BLOSUM50-> "BLOSUM50"
+                |BLOSUM62-> "BLOSUM62"
+                |BLOSUM80-> "BLOSUM80"
+                |BLOSUM90-> "BLOSUM90"
+                |DNA1    -> "DNA1"
+
+        ///Handling single sequence inputs:
+        //  --singlemx   : use substitution score matrix for single-sequence inputs
+        //  --mx <s>     : substitution score matrix (built-in matrices, with --singlemx)
+        //  --mxfile <f> : read substitution score matrix from file <f> (with --singlemx)
+        type SingleSequenceHandlingCustom =
+            ///use substitution score matrix for single-sequence inputs
+            | UseSubstitutionMatrix
+            ///substitution score matrix (built-in matrices, use with UseSubstitutionMatrix)
+            | SMatrix       of SubstitutionScoreMatrix
+            ///read substitution score matrix from file (use with UseSubstitutionMatrix)
+            | SMatrixFile   of string
+
+            static member make = function
+                | UseSubstitutionMatrix -> ["--singlemx"]
+                | SMatrix s             -> ["--mx"; (SubstitutionScoreMatrix.make s)]
+                | SMatrixFile path      -> ["--mxfile"; path]
+
+            static member makeWith (m:MountInfo) =
+                let cPath p = (MountInfo.containerPathOf m p)
+                function
+                | UseSubstitutionMatrix -> ["--singlemx"]
+                | SMatrix s             -> ["--mx"; (SubstitutionScoreMatrix.make s)]
+                | SMatrixFile path      -> ["--mxfile"; cPath path]
+
+        //Control of E-value calibration:
+        //  --EmL <n> : length of sequences for MSV Gumbel mu fit  [200]  (n>0)
+        //  --EmN <n> : number of sequences for MSV Gumbel mu fit  [200]  (n>0)
+        //  --EvL <n> : length of sequences for Viterbi Gumbel mu fit  [200]  (n>0)
+        //  --EvN <n> : number of sequences for Viterbi Gumbel mu fit  [200]  (n>0)
+        //  --EfL <n> : length of sequences for Forward exp tail tau fit  [100]  (n>0)
+        //  --EfN <n> : number of sequences for Forward exp tail tau fit  [200]  (n>0)
+        //  --Eft <x> : tail mass for Forward exponential tail tau fit  [0.04]  (0<x<1)
+
+        type EValueControlCustom = 
+            ///length of sequences for MSV Gumbel mu fit
+            | MSVLength         of int
+            ///number of sequences for MSV Gumbel mu fit
+            | MSVNumber         of int
+            ///length of sequences for Viterbi Gumbel mu fit
+            | ViterbiLength     of int
+            ///number of sequences for Viterbi Gumbel mu fit
+            | ViterbiNumber     of int
+            ///length of sequences for Forward exp tail tau fit
+            | ForwardLength     of int
+            ///number of sequences for Forward exp tail tau fit
+            | ForwardNumber     of int
+            /// tail mass for Forward exponential tail tau fit
+            | ForwardTailMass   of float
+
+            static member make = function
+                | MSVLength         l   -> ["--EmL";string l]
+                | MSVNumber         n   -> ["--EmN";string n]
+                | ViterbiLength     l   -> ["--EvL";string l]
+                | ViterbiNumber     n   -> ["--EvN";string n]
+                | ForwardLength     l   -> ["--EfL";string l]
+                | ForwardNumber     n   -> ["--EfN";string n]
+                | ForwardTailMass   m   -> ["--Eft";string m]
+
+        ///Other options:
+        //  --cpu <n>          : number of parallel CPU workers for multithreads
+        //  --stall            : arrest after start: for attaching debugger to process
+        //  --informat <s>     : assert input alifile is in format <s> (no autodetect)
+        //  --seed <n>         : set RNG seed to <n> (if 0: one-time arbitrary seed)  [42]
+        //  --w_beta <x>       : tail mass at which window length is determined
+        //  --w_length <n>     : window length
+        //  --maxinsertlen <n> : pretend all inserts are length <= <n>
+
+        type MiscellaneousCustom =
+            ///number of parallel CPU workers for multithreads
+            | Threads               of int
+            ///arrest after start: for attaching debugger to process
+            | Stall
+            ///assert input alifile is in format <s> (no autodetect)
+            | AssertInFormat        of string
+            ///set RNG seed to <n> (if 0: one-time arbitrary seed)
+            | Seed                  of int
+            ///tail mass at which window length is determined
+            | TailMass              of float
+            ///window length
+            | WindowLength          of int
+            ///pretend all inserts are length <= <n>
+            | MaxInsertionLength    of int
+
+            static member make = function
+                | Threads t             -> ["--cpu"; string t]
+                | Stall                 -> ["--stall"]
+                | AssertInFormat f      -> ["--informat"; f]
+                | Seed s                -> ["--seed"; string s]
+                | TailMass m            -> ["--w_beta"; string m]
+                | WindowLength wl       -> ["--w_length"; string wl]
+                | MaxInsertionLength l  -> ["--maxinsertlen"; string l]
+
+        //Basic options:
+        //  -h     : show brief help on version and usage
+        //  -n <s> : name the HMM <s>
+        //  -o <f> : direct summary output to file <f>, not stdout
+        //  -O <f> : resave annotated, possibly modified MSA to file <f>
+
+        type HMMbuildParams =
+            ///Multiple sequence alignment input file
+            | InputMSAFile                   of string
+            ///HMM file to save the generated HMMs to
+            | OutputHMMFile                  of string
+            ///name the HMM
+            | Name                          of string
+            ///direct summary output to file <f>, not stdout
+            | SummaryToFile                 of string
+            ///resave annotated, possibly modified MSA to file
+            | ResaveFile                    of string
+            ///Specify the alphabet used in the alignment file
+            | Alphabet                      of AlphabetType list
+            ///Alternative model construction strategies:
+            | ModelConstruction             of ModelConstructionCustom list
+            ///Alternative relative sequence weighting strategies
+            | RelativeSequenceWeighting     of RelativeSequenceWeightingCustom list
+            ///Alternative effective sequence weighting strategies
+            | EffectiveSequenceWeighting    of EffectiveSequenceWeightingCustom list
+            ///Alternative prior strategies
+            | Prior                         of PriorCustom list
+            ///Handling single sequence inputs
+            | SingleSequenceHandling        of SingleSequenceHandlingCustom list
+            ///Control of E-value calibration
+            |EValueControl                  of EValueControlCustom list
+            ///Other options
+            |Miscellaneous                  of MiscellaneousCustom list
+
+            static member makeCmd = ()
+
+            static member makeCmdWith (m:MountInfo) =
+                let cPath p = (MountInfo.containerPathOf m p)
+                function 
+                    | InputMSAFile path                     -> [cPath path]
+                    | OutputHMMFile path                    -> [cPath path]
+                    | Name n                                -> ["-n";n]
+                    | SummaryToFile path                    -> ["-o";cPath path]
+                    | ResaveFile path                       -> ["-O";cPath path]
+                    | Alphabet aList                        -> aList    |> List.map AlphabetType.make |> List.concat
+                    | ModelConstruction mcList              -> mcList   |> List.map ModelConstructionCustom.make                |> List.concat
+                    | RelativeSequenceWeighting rswList     -> rswList  |> List.map RelativeSequenceWeightingCustom.make        |> List.concat
+                    | EffectiveSequenceWeighting eswList    -> eswList  |> List.map EffectiveSequenceWeightingCustom.make       |> List.concat
+                    | Prior pList                           -> pList    |> List.map PriorCustom.make                            |> List.concat
+                    | SingleSequenceHandling sshList        -> sshList  |> List.map (SingleSequenceHandlingCustom.makeWith m)   |> List.concat
+                    | EValueControl evcList                 -> evcList  |> List.map EValueControlCustom.make                    |> List.concat
+                    | Miscellaneous mList                   -> mList    |> List.map MiscellaneousCustom.make                    |> List.concat
+
+        let runHMMbuildAsync (bcContext:BioContainer.BcContext) (opt:HMMbuildParams list) = 
+            let cmds = (opt |> List.map (HMMbuildParams.makeCmdWith bcContext.Mount))
+            let tp = "hmmbuild"::(cmds |> List.concat)
+
+            printfn "Starting process blastn\r\nparameters:"
+            cmds |> List.iter (fun op -> printfn "\t%s" (String.concat " " op))
+
+            async {
+                    let! res = BioContainer.execAsync bcContext tp           
+                    return res
+ 
+            }
+        
+        let runHMMbuild (bcContext:BioContainer.BcContext) (opt:HMMbuildParams list) = 
+            runHMMbuildAsync bcContext opt
+            |> Async.RunSynchronously
+