Mission

The Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) is an international center for research, education, and training in biology. Founded in Woods Hole, Massachusetts in 1888, the MBL is a private, nonprofit institution and an affiliate of the University of Chicago. The MBL currently supports a year-round staff of more than 250 scientists and support staff working in such fields as cell and developmental biology, ecology, microbiology, molecular evolution, global infectious disease, neurobiology, and sensory physiology. Each summer, an additional 1,400 scientists and advanced students from around the world come to the MBL to study the diverse and abundant marine organisms found in local waters. The laboratory's educational program plays a significant role in training the world's experimental biologists.