MBL Events

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History of Biology

MBL Public Events Event Type: Conferences. Wednesday, May 13, 2026 – Wednesday, May 20, 2026.

Logan Science Journalism Program Begins

MBL Public Events Program dates May 14, 2026 - June 24, 2026 The Logan Science Journalism Program, founded in 1986, offers science journalists, writers, editors, and broadcast journalists a chance to forget about story deadlines and immerse themselves in basic biomedical or environmental research. Event Type: Courses. Thursday, May 14, 2026. 7 MBL Street Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

MBL Seminar Series: "Coral responses to thermal stress: Adaptive capacity and the potential for intervention" -Yvonne Sawall, ASU BIOS

MBL Public Events Coral reefs are increasingly threatened by ocean warming and more frequent marine heat waves, which can trigger coral bleaching, the loss of symbiotic algae essential for coral survival. A key question is whether corals can adapt quickly enough to keep pace with rising temperatures and whether targeted interventions can enhance their resilience. In this seminar, I draw on recent and ongoing studies from my lab in Bermuda to explore coral thermal tolerance, recovery, stress hardening and mitigation strategies. Across species with contrasting life-history traits and acclimation strategies, corals perform similarly under Bermuda’s naturally variable thermal regime (~19–29°C) yet differ markedly in their tolerance to heat stress. Notably, bleaching susceptibility does not necessarily predict long-term outcomes, as more sensitive species can recover better over annual timescales. I also present experimental work on artificial upwelling (AU) as a potential heat stress mitigation tool. In multi-year studies, AU fr… Virtual Information: https://mbl.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=c9e866a7-7e09-445a-afb8-b4390109016e. Event Type: MBL Seminar Series. Thursday, May 14, 2026, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM. Speck Auditorium 10 MBL St. Woods Hole, MA. For more info visit bios.asu.edu.

WHOI-NASA Summer School

MBL Public Events Event Type: Conferences. Sunday, May 17, 2026 – Saturday, May 30, 2026.

Workshop on Molecular Evolution Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: May 17, 2026 - May 27, 2026 The workshop serves graduate students, postdocs, and established faculty from around the world seeking to apply the principles of molecular evolution to questions of anthropology, conservation genetics, development, behavior, physiology, and ecology. Event Type: Courses. Sunday, May 17, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Neural Systems & Behavior

MBL Course Events Course Dates: May 23, 2026 - Jul 05, 2026 This course provides broad training in modern approaches to the study of neural mechanisms underlying behavior, perception, and cognition. Through a combination of lectures, exercises, and projects, students investigate neural systems at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels using state-of-the-art techniques. The six weeks are divided into two-week cycles, providing participants with an in-depth familiarity with several different experimental model systems. Event Type: Courses. Saturday, May 23, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Memorial Day - MBL Closed

MBL Public Events Event Type: Other. Monday, May 25, 2026.

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Hazards and Opportunities (ECHO) Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: May 26, 2026 - Jun 09, 2026 ECHO is a two-week intensive bootcamp-style career development course for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professionals in the EDC field. The course combines lectures, labs and data analysis, discussions and communications training to heighten inter-disciplinary understanding, advance professional skills, and enhance knowledge of chemical regulation. Event Type: Courses. Tuesday, May 26, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.mbl.edu.

Embryology: Concepts and Techniques in Modern Developmental Biology Course Begins

MBL Course Events Course Dates: May 30, 2026 - Jul 10, 2026 Established in 1893, the Embryology Course offers integrated lectures and laboratories that comprehensively cover the paradigms, problems, and technologies of modern developmental biology cast within a comparative framework of metazoan evolution. This course has a rich history of shaping the field: six students and eight faculty have become Nobel Laureates, and numerous others have emerged as prominent leaders and pioneers. The over 40 teaching faculty members, all leaders in their respective fields, deliver lectures, lead discussions, and oversee laboratory sections. Event Type: Courses. Saturday, May 30, 2026. MBL, 7 MBL St, Woods Hole, MA 02543. For more info visit www.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.

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 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. 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. 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.

Independence Day - MBL Closed

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

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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.

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. 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.

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.