Europe has a very long and distinguished history in Marine Biology and its coastal marine biological stations are the oldest in the world. For example, Stazione Zoologica in Naples (SZN), Station Biologique in Roscoff (SBR) and Kristineberg Marine Research Station in Fiskebäckskil (KMRS) were all established in the late 19th Century. They began an enviable tradition as marine biological research stations that acted, even at that time, as international infrastructure sites to serve, enhance and develop collaborative marine research worldwide. Now, however, they have become a new breed of marine research station, developing and applying new technologies and facilities that allow a higher quality of service, not only to the marine biologist community but also to the increasing numbers of scientists that are turning to marine organisms as models with which to investigate fundamental questions in biology. Building upon this enviable tradition ASSEMBLE seeks to create a network of key marine biological research stations around the European coastline including the sub-tropical station at Eilat (IUI). Uniquely, we also include a Pacific site in Chile (PUC) that provides access to one of the most important upwelling sites in the world. We aim to develop an integrated infrastructure that will make possible for biologists in Europe to study a range of unique coastal ecosystems and a wide variety of marine organisms using the most advanced approaches in modern biology. It will be based on the existing hosting capacities, sea-going facilities and research background of these marine stations, which, as noted above, already have a long experience in hosting students and visiting scientists. This infrastructure will focus on key marine ecosystems and biological models, making possible both the enhancement of existing infrastructures and the introduction and development of new technologies. These include, for example, indoor and outdoor equipment for the cultivation/raising/study o