The Grass Foundation is pleased to announce the creation of a new fellowship program in advance imaging at the Marine Biological Laboratories (MBL): the Grass Fellowships in Advanced Imaging.
PURPOSE: The MBL is host to a wide range of microscopy systems each summer and is rapidly becoming a regional center for advanced imaging. During the summer of 2011, available systems included confocal, two-photon, structured illumination microscopy, PALM, STED as well as other non-commercial systems. The goal of the Grass Fellowships in Advanced Imaging is to make this remarkable resource available to the broader scientific community. The fellowships will support individuals working in any area of neuroscience, at any stage of their career ranging from graduate student to professor. This opportunity is intended to allow individuals to bring their preparations to the MBL for up to four weeks, learning and utilizing the available microscopy resources, gathering data and interacting with other imaging specialists. Grass Fellows in Advanced Imaging will be integrated into the traditional Grass Fellows program during the month of July, providing a rich intellectual environment and access to many activities at the MBL. As such, Imaging Fellows will receive bench space in the Grass Laboratory for sample preparation and will be expected to attend Grass Laboratory lab meetings. In addition, Imaging Fellows are encouraged to audit the many classes available including the Neurobiology Course, which offers lectures on the theory and practice of advanced microscopy during the month of July. Support will include research supplies, travel, housing and meals at the Marine Biological Laboratory for the individual fellow.
ELIGIBILITY: Applicants at any stage in their academic career are eligible. Priority is given to applicants with an experimental need to use high-end state of the art imaging systems. Prior research experience at the MBL, including previous Grass Fellowships, is neither required nor disqualifying. IRS regulations require that international Fellows (i.e., not US citizens or resident aliens) hold a J-1 visa for the duration of the fellowship. Holders of H1-B visa cannot be accepted. The Grass Foundation values diversity in all of its programs.
DURATION: The duration of the program is 2-4 weeks during July of 2012. Fellows are expected to be in residence at the MBL during the entire time.
APPLICATION: Application forms and instructions for the 2012 program are available on The Grass Foundation website (links below).
DEADLINE: Applications for July 2012 must be received by 20 February 2012. Applicants must ensure that the completed application and letters of recommendation are submitted by the deadline. Decisions will be announced by April 2012.
SELECTION: The Selection Committee, consisting of the Trustees of The Grass Foundation, will judge the scientific merit of the proposed research and its suitability for this program. The Foundation anticipates accepting up to 3 Fellows in Advanced Imaging in this inaugural year.
INSTRUCTIONS for the 2012 Grass Fellowship in Advanced Imaging Application are provided here in pdf format: 
GFAI_Application_2012.doc101.5 K 
GFAI_Instructions_2012.pdf46.84 KB
A flyer of this announcement can be downloaded here. GFAI_Flyer.pdf28.71 KB
