Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a private, non-profit basic research and educational institution. Under the leadership of Dr. Bruce Stillman, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Fellow of the Royal Society (London), some 300 scientists conduct groundbreaking research in cancer, neurobiology, plant genetics and bioinformatics.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is one of eight National Cancer Institute designated basic research centers in the U.S. and the only such center in the tri-state area.

During the 20th century, seven Nobel laureates worked at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory including: James D. Watson, Barbara McClintock, Alfred Hershey, Salvador Luria, Max Delbruck, Richard Roberts and Phillip Sharp. In total, more than 85 Nobel laureates are associated with the Laboratory in some way.

In 2002, Thomson-ISI (Institute of Scientific Information) ranked CSHL #1 in a ten-year survey of research impact (1992-2002) and Science magazine recognized the work of Gregory Hannon, Rob Martienssen and Shiv Grewal on "RNA interference" (RNAi) as the "Breakthrough of the Year."

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has also been recognized internationally for its educational activities, including an extensive program of scientific meetings and courses that attracts more than 8,000 scientists to the campus each year. Its Watson School of Biological Sciences — named for laboratory president and Nobel laureate James D. Watson — offers an innovative Ph.D. program for a small group of exceptional students. In addition, the Laboratory trains college undergraduates through the Undergraduate Research Program, high school students through the Partners for the Future Program, and grade-school children in its Nature Study summer camp. The Laboratory also operates the Dolan DNA Learning Center in the Village of Cold Spring Harbor, which offers laboratory workshops to science teachers, students, and other groups across the nation. Other components of the Laboratory include Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, which publishes five scientific journals and numerous laboratory manuals and books each year; the Banbury Conference Center in Lloyd Harbor, which hosts specialized meetings for small groups of participants; and the Genome Research Center in nearby Woodbury.