MBL Events

begins, course, lecture, evening, friday, series, biology, approaches, lectureship, endowed

RSS XML iCal Eastern Time
This hCalendar-compliant page is optimized for search engines. View this calendar as published at mbl.edu.

Neurobiology: Mechanisms & Advanced Approaches Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jun 01, 2026 - Jul 12, 2026 The goal of this course is to provide intensive and immersive training in neurobiology with a particular focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern nervous system function in health and neurological disorders. The program is designed to provide an on-ramp for entry into neuroscience for scientists from other fields, as well as to augment conventional training by providing educational approaches that are not typically available to graduate students or postdoctoral fellows. This program is a comprehensive, research-oriented course that runs for six weeks, from the early-June to mid-July. A hallmark of this course is the opportunity to work side-by-side with internationally recognized experts using state-of-the-art technologies. Our goal is to empower participants to approach neuroscientific inquiry using the most advanced and appropriate technologies available. Event Type: Courses. Monday, June 1, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

The Richard G. Kessel Lecture in Embryology

MBL Public Events Talk Title:  A Star is born: early development of the sea star Patiria miniata Speaker: Vanessa Barone, Assistant Professor of Biology, Stanford University, Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station Abstract: Due to their accessibility and exquisite optical clarity, echinoderm embryos have been developmental biology models for over 150 years, due to their accessibility and exquisite optical clarity, that allows observing development as it unfolds. While the echinoderm superstar is undoubtedly the sea urchin, other echinoderms present interesting variation in morphogenesis, including differences in embryo compaction and blastula formation. Studying such variation could reveal which changes in cell shape and cell contacts drive evolution of new embryonic forms. Our lab uses the sea star Patiria miniata and the sea urchin Lytechinus pictus to uncover how variation in the cellular properties that determine embryonic shapes impacts cell differentiation and contributes to evolution. In this lecture, we will… Event Type: Courses. Named Endowed Lecture. Tuesday, June 2, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Speck Auditorium.

Troubled Waters Film Screening

MBL Public Events A special screening of two documentary films, Sea Fever and Troubled Waters, about New England's endangered commercial fisheries and coastlines. Followed by a special panel discussion with Bill Amaru, Phil Colarusso, Glen Gawarkiewicz, & Mirta Teichberg. Event Type: Other. Thursday, June 4, 2026, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM. Clapp Auditorium Marine Biological Laboratory 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

The Ethel Browne Harvey Endowed Lectureship

MBL Public Events Talk Title: Sea stars and sea cucumbers as models for organogenesis Speaker: Margherita Perillo, Research Scientist, Bell Center for Regenerative Biology and Tissue Engineering, Marine Biological Laboratory Abstract: Epithelial tubes are vital to sustain life, as they are the building blocks that make all our organs.  In my talk I will describe how tubes elongate and acquire their orientation and shape to ensure proper organ formation. In my lab we leverage on the powerful tools that the sea star larvae offer to study tube formation and organogenesis. These are marine invertebrates that are optically clear and develop big clear tubes that grow with a stereotypical pattern. I will also introduce our recent findings on the development of another marine invertebrate we study in the lab, the sea cucumber.  The Ethel Browne Harvey Endowed Lectureship The Ethel Browne Harvey Lectureship was established by her granddaughters to honor her nearly six decades of work focused on fertilization and cleavage, primarily… Event Type: Courses. Named Endowed Lecture. Friday, June 5, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. Speck Auditorium.

The Frank R. Lillie Lecture in Embryology

MBL Public Events Talk Title: EvoDevo, sea urchins, and the origins of organismal diversity Speaker: Greg Wray, Professor of Biology, Duke University Abstract: The incredible diversity of living organisms has fascinated curious minds for millennia. Over the past few decades, technological advances have empowered increasingly detailed studies of trait evolution, upending long-held models and revealing previously unknown processes. In particular, it has become clear that evolutionary changes in gene regulation during development underpin much, if not most, trait evolution within populations and between species. This lecture will examine these paradigm shifts through the lens of my lab group's work on the evolution of sea urchin development, including unexpected controversies, surprise discoveries, and the future of EvoDevo. The Frank R. Lillie Lecture in Embryology Frank Rattray Lillie (1870–1947) was a pioneering embryologist and influential scientific leader, best known for his transformative role at the Marine Biological… Event Type: Courses. Named Endowed Lecture. Friday, June 5, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Speck Auditorium 10 MBL St. Woods Hole, MA.

Summer Program in Neuroscience, Excellence and Success (SPINES) Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jun 08, 2026 - Jun 29, 2026 SPINES has a well-established track record of recruiting exceptional trainees for career development and skill-building, making us highly competitive for funding across multiple dimensions. You will learn a variety of important professional skills, including communicating your science, winning grants, honing quantitative skills and preparing to be a top notch PI. The course attracts 20 leading faculty from across the country to teach our 15-20 students in a 3 week intensive immersion experience dedicated to creating and sustaining an outstanding workforce in neuroscience. Event Type: Courses. Monday, June 8, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

The Joe L. Martinez, Jr. and James G. Townsel Endowed Lectureship in SPINES

MBL Public Events Talk Title: Skin-brain axis for social touch: mice to naked mole-rats Speaker: Ishmail Abdus-Saboor, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Columbia University; Freeman Hrabowski Scholar at Howard Hughes Medical Institute Abstract: Work in the Abdus-Saboor lab is integrating the peripheral and central nervous systems, seeking to uncover genes and neural circuits for somatosensation from the skin to the spinal cord and interconnected networks across the brain. We are elucidating the “skin-brain axis” – taking a holistic approach that combines high-resolution behavioral mapping, brain imaging, and genetic/neural circuit manipulations. This seminar will be divided into three parts, featuring discoveries made in the Abdus-Saboor lab including 1) identification of a skin-brain neuronal pathway in mice for rewarding social touch, 2) mammary gland innervating sensory neurons that initiative oxytocin dependent milk letdown during lactation, and 3) the role of social touch and social memory in naked mole-rat… Event Type: Courses. Named Endowed Lecture. Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Clapp Auditorium Marine Biological Laboratory 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

The Mazakazu Konishi Endowed Lectureship in Neural Systems and Behavior

MBL Course Events Talk Title: Neural Mechanisms for Predictive Sensory Processing: A Comparative Approach Speaker: Nathaniel Sawtell, Professor of Neuroscience, Columbia University, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute Abstract: Prediction is a general function of the nervous system. However, what aspects of sensory input can be predicted and the functions such predictions perform vary widely.  I will discuss our efforts to understand the implementation of predictive computations in convergently evolved “cerebellum-like” sensory structures involved in electrosensation in African weakly electric fish and hearing in mice.  These studies reveal how modifications in plasticity rules, cellular biophysics, and wiring combine to implement distinct forms of predictive processing that appear well-suited to the sensory modality and species in which they are found. The results also have implications for understanding cerebellar computation. The Mazakazu Konishi Endowed Lectureship in Neural Systems and Behavior Dr. Masakazu “Mark”… Event Type: Courses. Evening Course Seminars: Wednesday Evening Neural Systems & Behavior Seminars. Wednesday, June 10, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Speck Auditorium 10 MBL St. Woods Hole, MA.

Biology of Parasitism: Modern Approaches Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jun 12, 2026 - Jul 23, 2026 A unique 6-week course for advanced doctoral students and postdocs who are seeking in-depth training in modern approaches to the study of protozoan parasites and parasitic worms. This course is focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which human and animal parasites cause disease and are transmitted, and those underlying host responses to infection. The course consists of daily lectures by distinguished leaders in the field juxtaposed with intensive experimental work. The lectures cover most areas of active research in modern parasitology and are designed to complement the laboratory work. Ample opportunity is provided for students to interact informally with visiting lecturers and course faculty. In the laboratory, the students work together in small groups, gaining hands-on experience and working collaboratively with the faculty to explore new questions and discover new knowledge. Event Type: Courses. Friday, June 12, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Physiology: Modern Cell Biology Using Microscopic, Biochemical and Computational Approaches Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jun 15, 2026 - Jul 26, 2026 The MBL Physiology course is a platform for collaborative discovery across disciplines. For over a century, the Physiology course has been a crucible for groundbreaking biological discoveries—including the Nobel prize-winning discovery of cyclin B—by evolving to embrace and create new tools and approaches. The next phase of the Physiology course moves beyond its traditional strengths in quantitative cell biology, to encompass biological mechanism “at scale” Levering High Dimensional datasets and advanced computational approaches incorporating AI/ML. Building from its world-renowned foundation in quantitative microscopy-based experimentation, the Physiology course is being reimagined as an engine for the development, testing, and deployment of cutting-edge technologies that combine imaging, omics, and AI to decode the complexity of living systems and unlock the next wave of discoveries. Event Type: Courses. Monday, June 15, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Juneteenth - MBL Closed

MBL Public Events Event Type: Other. Friday, June 19, 2026.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Kinase Turntabilism: Tuning T Cell Activation” - Avery August, HHMI

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8 PM. Avery August, Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and HHMI Professor of Immunology, Cornell University Lecture Abstract: The CD4+ T cell immune responses include a range of effector cell types that produce inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The differentiation of these effector cells requires signals from the antigen-specific T cell receptor complex. How this one receptor generates such varied response remains highly investigated. This lecture will explore the role of the tyrosine kinase Itk, which regulates T cell Receptor signal strength, in tuning the activation and differentiation of CD4+ effector cell balance. Avery August received a BS in Medical Technology from California State University, Los Angeles, a Ph.D. in Immunology from Cornell University’s Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences and a… Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, June 19, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

The John G. Nicholls Endowed Lectureship in Neural Systems and Behavior

MBL Course Events Talk Title: Control of Movement by Structured Spinal Circuits Speaker: Martha Bagnall, Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Washington University  Abstract: Locomotion is a fundamental behavior of most animals. Despite decades of study, the underlying structured circuits remain challenging to define. Leveraging the accessibility of the zebrafish, we demonstrate that a missing component of locomotor theory is the organization of connectivity along the long axis of the spinal cord. Many populations of spinal cord neurons project axons over long distances in the rostrocaudal axis, yet their connectivity in this axis has not been explored. We show that genetically defined populations of neurons exhibit shifting connectivity as their axons ascend or descend the spinal cord. This longitudinal structure helps explain basic properties of locomotor propagation along the spinal cord and resolve apparent conflicts in the literature of locomotor circuits.   The John G. Nicholls Endowed Lectureship in… Event Type: Courses. Evening Course Seminars: Wednesday Evening Neural Systems & Behavior Seminars. Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Speck Auditorium 10 MBL St. Woods Hole, MA.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Deciphering the Cis-regulatory Code of Development with Deep Learning” Julia Zeitlinger, Stowers

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8 PM.Julia Zeitlinger, Investigator, Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Porter Lecture, Lecture Abstract: There has been a revolution in genomics technology, leading to an exponential growth of multi-modal genomics data in different organisms across developmental time and space. After decades of focusing on the mechanisms underlying gene expression, I argue that it is now time to come back to a concept that has its origins before the rise of molecular biology and biochemistry: the understanding that biology has a DNA sequence basis. With the development of neural networks that predict genomics data from sequence, learning how gene regulation is encoded in DNA is now a feasible goal. This paradigm shift has the long-term goal of deciphering this cis-regulatory code during development, uncovering the regulatory information relevant to human… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LxbR9fF6SRCL0rBO0BBUuQ. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, June 26, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, June 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Science Storytelling with the Grass Fellows

MBL Public Events  Please join us in the Clapp Auditorium for a night of science storytelling and live music, as the 2026 Grass Fellows share the stories they honed through a Transom storytelling workshop. This event is FREE and open to the public. Please register using the link provided to save your spot! Hosted by The Grass Foundation. Event Type: Other. Tuesday, June 30, 2026, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.eventbrite.com.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, July 1, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Independence Day - MBL Closed

MBL Public Events Event Type: Other. Friday, July 3, 2026.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, July 3, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Dance for Your Dinner: How Young Brains Signal Hunger to Their Parents” - Lauren O’Connell, Stanford University

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. Lauren O’Connell, Associate Professor of Biology, Stanford University Glassman Lecture, Lecture Abstract: In the rainforests of Central and South America, tiny poison frog parents make an extraordinary investment: they return again and again to their young, delivering unfertilized eggs as food. In response, their tadpoles perform a striking “begging dance,” signaling their hunger with precise, stereotyped movements. How does a developing brain generate this behavior—and how do parents recognize and respond to it? The O’Connell lab uses this vivid interaction to explore how internal states like hunger are translated into communication, and how early social experiences shape the brain. By following this dialogue between parent and offspring, her lab’s work uncovers fundamental principles of how brains give rise to social behavior, from the… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SsDvbwxHRXKDJvHxmN7JmQ. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, July 3, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Microbial Diversity Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jul 05, 2026 - Aug 17, 2026 Established in 1971 by Holger Jannasch, the Microbial Diversity summer course at the Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, MA) has provided advanced training for generations of early career researchers in microbiology. This intensive and transformative 6.5-week residential program trains 20 participants annually in the discovery, cultivation, and analysis of microorganisms that drive diverse biochemical and ecological processes. With roughly a 1:1 student–faculty ratio, participants receive individualized mentorship and close collaboration with leading researchers. Event Type: Courses. Sunday, July 5, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, July 6, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, July 8, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, July 10, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Carson’s Clarion Call: The Noisy Response to Silent Spring” - Mark Barrow, Virginia Tech

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. Mark Barrow, Professor, Department of History, Virginia Tech E.B. Wilson History and Philosophy of Science Lecture, Lecture Abstract: The publication of Silent Spring (1962) generated a firestorm of controversy and helped catalyze the modern environmental movement. Why did Rachel Carson’s critique of modern pesticides have such a far-reaching impact? This lecture argues that its influence grew out of a convergence of Carson’s authority as both scientist and bestselling author, a cultural climate of heightened anxiety about postwar chemical and nuclear technologies, and the aggressive strategies of her critics. A trained biologist and accomplished writer with access to a broad network of scientific experts, Carson offered readers a compelling, accessible synthesis of the risks associated with the postwar embrace of synthetic pesticides.… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AypfrPGwSCSvBvwQo6SbBA. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, July 10, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Biology of Hearing and Balance: Experimental and Analytical Approaches Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jul 13, 2026 - Aug 02, 2026 The Biology of Hearing and Balance course (BHB) teaches advanced research approaches to the development, function, and pathology of the inner ear and downstream auditory and vestibular pathways in the central nervous system. BIE/BHB began in 2007 and is held every 2 years. Event Type: Courses. Monday, July 13, 2026. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, July 13, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, July 15, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jul 17, 2026 - Aug 15, 2026 The Molecular and Cell Biology of Symbiosis advanced research training course at the MBL is an immersive research-based course designed to teach basic concepts, open research questions, and facilitate state-of-the-art experimental approaches in symbiosis research. This 4-week experience will give students a deep understanding of the field of symbiosis research through a combination of hands-on research projects, lectures from experts in the field, and interactive workshops. Event Type: Courses. Friday, July 17, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, July 17, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “RNAi Across Scales: From Model Organisms to Clinical Therapies” - Rachel Meyers, Sunrise Bioventures

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. Rachel Meyers, Founder and Managing Partner, Sunrise Bioventures Lecture Abstract: TBD Rachel Meyers is an entrepreneurial scientist actively involved in the biotech and pharma community. She is a member of the board of directors for Korro Bio, a nucleic acid therapeutics company focused on RNA editing as well as an Atlas Ventures StealthCo in the nucleic acid therapeutics space. She serves as a scientific advisor to Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, the pioneer of RNAi therapeutics; Arrakis Therapeutics, a small-molecule company focused on targeting RNA; and CAMP4 Therapeutics, a nucleic acid therapeutics company focused on upregulating RNA transcription. Meyers is a founding partner of Sunrise Bioventures, a nucleic acid accelerator, and serves as acting CEO at AmyGo Solutions, a startup focused on early detection in amyloidosis. In addition to… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zhdkUGipQJuXA3tLfQHk2A. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, July 17, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, July 20, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Zebrafish Development and Genetics Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jul 23, 2026 - Aug 06, 2026 Over the past 30 years, the zebrafish has emerged as a powerful model system for the study of vertebrate development and disease. This intensive two-week course for advanced graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and independent investigators will focus on the development and genetics of zebrafish. The course will cover time proven as well as novel technologies geared towards their application in zebrafish. Mornings and afternoons will be devoted mainly to laboratory exercises and the evenings to lectures and discussion. Limited to 22 students. Event Type: Courses. Thursday, July 23, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Methods in Computational Neuroscience Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jul 24, 2026 - Aug 21, 2026 Animals interact with a complex world, encountering a variety of challenges: They must gather data about the environment, discover useful structures in these data, store and recall information about past events, plan and guide actions, learn the consequences of these actions, etc. These are, in part, computational problems that are solved by networks of neurons, from roughly 100 cells in a small worm to 100 billion in humans. Methods in Computational Neuroscience introduces students to the computational and mathematical techniques that are used to address how the brain solves these problems at levels of neural organization ranging from single membrane channels to operations of the entire brain. Event Type: Courses. Friday, July 24, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, July 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Neurobiology of Thirst and Hunger Drives” Liqun Luo, Stanford University

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. Liqun Luo, Ann and Bill Swindells Professor, Stanford University Forbes Lecture, Lecture Abstract: Because of the utmost importance of water and food, animals exhibit strong innate behaviors to search for and consume water or food when they are thirsty or hungry. These innate drives are also powerful means for acquiring learned skills and behaviors. In this lecture, I will summarize our recent work linking thirst to motivated behavior and investigating neural dynamics underlying thirst motivation. I will further discuss how animals resolve competing needs, such as thirst and hunger, across time. Liqun Luo grew up in Shanghai, China. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Science & Technology of China, Ph.D. from Brandeis University, and postdoctoral training at UCSF. Together with his students and postdocs in his lab at… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y3egvrAaSDisIg23Fe54rw. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, July 24, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, July 27, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Molecular Mycology: Current Approaches to Fungal Pathogenesis Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Jul 31, 2026 - Aug 18, 2026 This course addresses the need for more research in the area of fungal diseases as our understanding of the basic pathophysiology of fungal disease lags far behind our understanding of many common bacterial and viral diseases. Event Type: Courses. Friday, July 31, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, July 31, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis: Uncovering the Biology of an Ancient Interkingdom Mutualism” - Maria J. Harrison, HHMI; Cornell

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. Maria J. Harrison, Investigator of the Howard Hughs Medical Institute and Professor, Cornell University Segal Lecture, Lecture Abstract: The symbiotic association of plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi originated over 450 million years ago  and is thought to have enabled plants to colonize land. Over 70% of extant vascular flowering plant species have retained the capacity to host AM fungi in their root cells and benefit from mineral nutrients delivered via their fungal partners. In this lecture, Harrison will discuss the biology of the symbiosis, including the cellular modifications that enable root cells to accommodate AM fungi, and the mechanisms of carbon and phosphorus exchange between symbionts. Maria J. Harrison is the William H. Crocker Distinguished Scientist at the Boyce Thompson Institute and an Adjunct Professor in… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZK256BCYSPKSrta_3UjyaA. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, July 31, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, August 3, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, August 5, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Brains, Minds and Machines Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Aug 07, 2026 - Aug 28, 2026 The goal of this course is to help produce a community of leaders that is equally knowledgeable in neuroscience, cognitive science, and computer science and will lead the scientific understanding of intelligence and the development of true biologically inspired AI. Event Type: Courses. Friday, August 7, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, August 7, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “The Microbiome: From Guts to Lungs” - George O’Toole, Dartmouth

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. George O’Toole, Elmer R. Pfefferkorn, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Lecture Abstract: The human gut microbiome (the microbes in your intestine) are sometimes considered the largest organ in the human body. In fact, we are made of equal numbers of human cells and bacterial cells.  There is a growing appreciation that the microbes in the gut can impact distant body sites, including the brain and the airway. By studying infants and children with cystic fibrosis (CF), we reveal that the best way to predict disease in the airway is the composition of the microbes in the gut. Jumping off from this observation, we show evidence for this gut-to-lung connection we call the “gut-lung axis.” I’ll discuss how we’ve moved from a clinical observation, to understanding some fundamental microbe-host… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_hZYLR1T5QpGcNAG6Nqs8wg. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, August 7, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Organoid Biology: From Concept to Practice Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Aug 08, 2026 - Sep 04, 2026 This course will center on the design, culture, and use of 3D organoids as human-relevant preclinical model systems. This one-month intensive training program will immerse participants in both the fundamentals and the latest advances in organoid research. Participants will receive hands-on training in the core techniques needed to generate, maintain, and use organoids, paired with rigorous workflows for quality control, imaging, and molecular readouts. Event Type: Courses. Saturday, August 8, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, August 10, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Optical Microscopy & Imaging in the Biomedical Sciences Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: Aug 11, 2026 - Aug 21, 2026 This course is designed primarily for research scientists, postdoctoral trainees, core facility directors/staff and graduate students working in the biological sciences. Non-biologists seeking a comprehensive introduction to microscopy and digital imaging in the biomedical sciences will also benefit greatly from this course. The 9-day course is limited to 24 participants to ensure a truly interactive, hands-on experience. It consists of interrelated lectures, laboratory exercises, demonstrations, and discussions that will enable the participants to obtain and interpret high quality microscope data, to understand and assess potential artifacts, to perform quantitative optical measurements, and to generate digital images for documentation and analysis that accurately present the data. The course also places a strong emphasis on appropriate sample preparation, including choice of fluorescent probes and fluorescent proteins, and tissue clearing and refractive index match… Event Type: Courses. Tuesday, August 11, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, August 14, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Friday Evening Lecture Series: “Ancient Skeletons, Modern Cures: Bio-Inspired Tissue Engineering for Cartilage Repair” - Andrew Gillis, Associate Scientist, MBL

MBL Public Events Lectures are open to the public for in-person and virtual attendance. No registration required for in-person attendance. Doors open at 7:30 PM, lectures start at 8:00 PM. Andrew Gillis, Associate Scientist, Bay Paul Center for Comparative Molecular Biology and Evolution at the Marine Biological Laboratory Lecture Abstract: Cartilage plays a central role in building our skeleton. Early in development, it forms a flexible template that is later transformed into bone, while in adulthood it persists in our joints as smooth, resilient articular cartilage that enables movement. Despite its importance, cartilage has a major limitation: it heals poorly. Over the course of a lifetime, most people experience some form of joint cartilage injury or degeneration, yet the body has only a limited ability to repair this damage. Intriguingly, this limitation is not universal across the animal kingdom. Cartilaginous fishes such as sharks and skates possess skeletons made entirely of cartilage - and unlike our own, their… Virtual Information: https://mbl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b1AilbKeTeKDOiaKlatTqQ. Event Type: Friday Evening Lecture. Friday, August 14, 2026, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM. Cornelia Clapp Auditorium 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, August 17, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, August 21, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Monday, August 24, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Exercise Class

MBL Public Events Pilates inspired exercise class to music overlooking the ocean. Class is free with a donation to the MBL for the season. Event Type: Other. Friday, August 28, 2026, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM. The MBL Club 100 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543.