Neural Systems & Behavior
Neural Systems & Behavior supports graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and investigators with hands-on research training to understand the neural basis of behavior, perception, and cognition.
This grant was recently updated
Plan to apply by February 2, 2027 for the June 1–July 12, 2027 course. If you need financial aid, the page now directs you to complete a Financial Support Request and discuss institutional funding with your advisor or program leadership first. Tuition, room and board costs, and typical scholarship coverage are unchanged.
Funder: Grass Foundation
Due Dates: February 2, 2027 (Application) | June 1–July 12, 2027 (Course)
Funding Amounts: Need-based MBL scholarships typically cover 50–100% of student need; tuition is $7,800 and room and board is $4,386
Summary: A six-week Marine Biological Laboratory course provides hands-on research training in the neural mechanisms underlying behavior, perception, and cognition.
Key Information: Intended for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and independent investigators; limited to 20 participants.
Description
Neural Systems & Behavior is an intensive six-week laboratory and lecture course at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), supported in part by the Grass Foundation. Directed by Bruce Carlson of Washington University and Lauren O’Connell of Stanford University, it combines lectures, exercises, and independent projects to investigate neural systems at molecular, cellular, and organismal levels.
Training is organized into two-week cycles using diverse vertebrate and invertebrate experimental systems. Participants first develop skills in electrophysiology, neuroanatomy, and quantitative analysis of physiological and behavioral data, then explore additional preparations. Expert-led topics include learning and plasticity, sensory processing, sensory-motor integration, spatial memory, and social communication. Participants design, perform, and analyze their own projects. The emphasis is on diverse approaches to understanding the neural basis of behavior, rather than learning a particular technique.
