Invest in the Future of the MBL

September 2026

Dear Friends of The MBL,

Unlike many who find their way to the Marine Biological Laboratory, I didn’t come here as a scientist. I trained as an engineer and spent much of my career as a consultant in the life sciences industry. I have always been fascinated by fundamental science—by the questions people ask simply because they want to know, and by the discoveries that follow in directions no one could have predicted. That fascination first drew me to the MBL in 1999 and, today, as Chair of the Board of Trustees, it is why I’m asking you to join me in supporting the MBL Annual Fund.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving and supporting the MBL through many periods of change and opportunity: before its affiliation with the University of Chicago, throughout that successful partnership, and now as the MBL begins its next chapter as an independent institution. Through it all, one thing has remained constant: a commitment to collaboration, education, and scientific excellence that defines the impact that this remarkable place has on biology.

Our high-impact work, and the scientists, course leaders, faculty and staff that make it happen, have kept me committed to this extraordinary institution. I know you have your own story about what brought you to the MBL and what makes this place meaningful to you.

Scientific breakthroughs rarely happen overnight. They begin with a scientist free to pursue a difficult question, a student learning alongside a mentor, and an institution willing to invest in ideas before anyone knows where they'll lead. For more than 135 years, the MBL has been that kind of place. With your support, it will remain one.

As my family and I have done, I hope you'll consider making an even larger gift to the Annual Fund this year. I also hope you can encourage others in your network to join you in supporting us. Together, we can help launch this new chapter by ensuring the MBL has the resources to continue to encourage curiosity, make important discoveries possible, and spawn the next generation of breakthrough investigators.

Thank you for believing in the Marine Biological Laboratory and for investing in its future.

With gratitude,

Bill Huyett
Chair, Board of Trustees
Marine Biological Laboratory