The teaching staff of each MBL course is drawn from a variety of research institutions and frequently outnumbers the student enrollment. Summer Courses have been a central part of the Laboratory's mission since its founding more than a century ago. The opportunity for exchange with members of the summer research community, as well as for intensive individual research, makes these programs unique in science education. Summer courses last from six to nine weeks, and consist of formal lectures integrated with laboratory instruction and research.
Laboratories emphasize application of the most current techniques.
Summer courses are designed for graduate students, postdocs and independent investigators actively engaged in research. Special Topics Courses are intensive educational programs, one to five weeks long, providing experience in specialized research techniques, or are lecture and laboratory courses in topics of current interest. Generally, these courses are designed for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other professionals actively engaged in research. MBL courses are supported by a wide range of donors. The overall MBL educational program has been underwritten by gifts from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.