In 1890, the Biological Laboratory at Cold Spring Harbor welcomed its first students for a course in biology. Soon after, research in the new field of genetics placed the Laboratory at the forefront of research and education for the next century and beyond. This timeline highlights the directors of the predecessor institutes of the contemporary ¶¶Òõ»Æ°æÏÂÔØ, a preeminent international research institution achieving breakthroughs in molecular biology and genetics and enhancing scientific knowledge worldwide.