U. of Chicago and Marine Biological Laboratory Move Toward Alliance

The University of Chicago and the Marine Biological Laboratory, in Woods Hole, Mass., are moving toward a partnership that would involve substantial collaboration but keep the laboratory a freestanding institution. The laboratory's corporation -- largely made up of scientists who currently or formerly used the facilities there -- voted to endorse the move this weekend, and that sets the stage for negotiations over a formal agreement between the boards of the two institutions. The laboratory has been looking for an affiliation that might give it a more stable financial basis, and the University of Chicago has a history of working with laboratories (such as Argonne National Laboratory) that are closely affiliated but not owned by the university. Currently much of the activity at the laboratory takes place in the summer and one possibility for a collaboration is more support that would allow for a full program of teaching and research year-round.