Summer program in neuroscience, excellence, and success (spines)

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded The Marine Biological Laboratory $259,815 on August 26, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to deliver the Summer Program in Neuroscience, Excellence, and Success (SPINES).

SPINES is a biomedical leadership program providing an immersive three-week summer course at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and sustained mentoring and networking. The program engages graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in technical training covering MATLAB programming, analysis of zebrafish neuronal activity, and big data analysis. Beyond the summer course, SPINES delivers career development workshops focused on professional skills and research career advancement, plus mentoring and reunion opportunities integrating fellows into the neuroscience research community. The program draws on faculty who are senior scientists serving as role models. SPINES alumni—over 450 from 35 years of programming—have predominantly remained in neuroscience research careers across academia, industry, government, and other settings, often attaining leadership positions.

The award period extends through June 30, 2028. Work is performed at Woods Hole, Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Abstract

To meet biomedical challenges, IT is essential to leverage the entire intellectual capital of the country. The summer program in neuroscience, excellence, and success (spines) is a biomedical leadership program that seeks to enhance the technical expertise, professional development, and mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows studying neuroscience. IT involves an immersive three-week summer course at the renowned marine biological laboratory (MBL) and mentoring and networking during the summer and beyond. Spines focuses on developing talented trainees into future leaders by engaging them in technical and career development and integrating them into a community of over 450 alumni from the 35 years of the program. Spines program faculty are successful senior scientists who also serve as role models to spines fellows. A large majority of spines alumni have remained in neuroscience research, pursuing careers in academia, industry, government, and other settings and often attaining leadership positions. In this project, we will pursue three specific aims: 1) engage fellows in a three-week summer course on matlab programming, analysis of zebrafish neuronal activity, and "big data" analysis in the vibrant summer MBL environment. 2) immerse fellows in the best practices of professional development through career development workshops to hone relevant professional skills and discuss how to thrive in research careers. 3) provide mentoring, networking, and reunion opportunities that integrate spines fellows into the neuroscience community and promote career success in neuroscience research.