This is the first cell biology course in a four-part series. Building upon the concepts from biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology from our 7.00x Introductory Biology and 7.05x Biochemistry MOOCs, these cell biology courses transition to a comprehensive discussion of biology at an experimental level. How do we know what we know about cells at a molecular level and how can we use that knowledge to design experiments to test hypotheses in cell biology? Professors Frank Solomon and Rebecca Lamason guide you through a learning experience where you will discover experiments that answered big questions and find out what is still on the horizon. You will embark on a lively journey through cellular transport mechanisms and learn how to apply key concepts and themes of this dynamic experimental science to understand the fundamental workings of cells. We developed the 7.06x Cell Biology series with an emphasis on: Developing your scientific thinking skills including articulating hypotheses, performing thought experiments, interpreting data, and designing experiments. Using data based on real scientific experiments and highlighting the scientific process in assessments. Asserting that biology is an active field that changes daily through examples of research and relevance to medicine, not static information in a textbook. Uniting themes and principles that inform how scientists conduct and interpret research. Exploring foundational “neat experiments” that defined modern cell biology. Implementing the science of learning in the course design.

Read fully to understand the verified-certificate option . Join Professor Eric Lander and the MITx Biology team in an exciting learning experience available for free to all enrolled learners . The 7.00x Introductory Biology course materials are available for exploration and completion by registering as an auditor or verified-track learner, including video, interactive problem sets, and exams. We strongly encourage you to work through the activities, towards a goal of learning biology. We have optimized the course settings for learning: instant feedback after trying problems and all content available at all times for self-paced progress. You receive feedback on correctness of answers, but the problem submissions do not count toward the grade for a certificate. Instead, we offer a thorough and robust means of certifying edX learners in their mastery of the MITx introductory biology content, through a the MITx 7.00x Introduction to Biology Competency Exam. This challenging option is available only to those who register for the verified-certificate track, and successful completion of this exam is the only assessment that counts toward a certificate. We highly recommend preparing for the Competency Exam certification by using the current course materials and MIT OpenCourseWare problems. The next Competency Exam will be open February 16, 2021 to February 23, 2021. 7.00x is an introductory level biology course hosted by professor Eric Lander, who was one of the leaders of the Human Genome Project. The course content reflects the topics taught in the MIT introductory biology courses and many biology courses across the world. As a learner, you will first focus on the structure and function of macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins. You will discover how changes in the structure of some of these macromolecules alter their functions and what the implications of such changes have on human health. As you continue in the course, you will apply an understanding of heredity and information flow within cells to human health and disease and will learn about molecular biological techniques and their potential to impact our changing world. After you complete this course, you will have a foundation in biology that will allow you to understand the remarkable medical revolution going on today. MITx 7.00x: Introduction to Biology – The Secret of Life will let you explore the mysteries of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, recombinant DNA technology and genomics, and rational medicine. Good luck in your journey!

Are you interested in analyzing biological datasets but don’t have a strong computational background? Do you want to focus on the biology and learn how to use modern best-practice pipelines that use existing tools? This introductory course, geared towards non-computational biologists, will introduce a specific biological problem each week centered around next generation sequencing and teach you how to use Illumina’s BaseSpace platform to run workflows conveniently and in a user-friendly manner. You will learn current best-practice workflows for Genome Assembly, Variant Calling, Trio Analysis, and Differential Expression Analysis as well as the types of biological problems that motivate them.

Protein is found in virtually every part of your body. At least 10,000 different proteins make you what you are and keep you that way. In this biology course you will learn how proteins drive almost all living processes. Proteins manufactured by cells perform a broad range of essential functions — the molecular workforce of living organisms. You will learn how proteins are the cellular manifestation of genetic information. They are assembled into a polymeric structure from monomers derived in part from components in our diet. Proteins catalyze metabolic reactions, replicate DNA, respond to stimuli, provide movement, and much more. Using video lectures, articles, case studies, and molecular models, we will explore how proteins are constructed, how they fold into 3-dimensional shapes, the kinds of bonds that hold these folded structures together, and the immense range of roles that proteins assume ‑ from structural proteins found in muscle to catalysts for cellular chemical reactions. Purification and characterization are essential to understand protein structure and function, and we will identify a variety of methods to uncover how these tiny machines drive almost all living processes.

In this anatomy course, part of the Anatomy XSeries, you will explore the interactive relationships of the cardiovascular, respiratory and urinary systems, and the roles they play in your body. This course is a primer for the cardiovascular, respiratory, and urinary systems in which students learn the pertinent details of the structures and functions through a combination of lectures, videos, labeling activities and quizzes.

Fundamentals of Neuroscience is a three-courseseries that explores the structure and function of the nervous system—from the inner workings of a single nerve cell to the staggering complexity of the brain and the social interactions they enable. In this first course, you'll learn how individual neurons use electricity to transmit information. You'll build a neuron, piece by piece, using interactive simulations, then travel around Harvard's campus, where you'll see the inner workings of a lab and learn how to conduct DIY neuroscience experiments on your own. Join us as we study the electrical properties in individual neurons, building a foundation for understanding the function of the entire nervous system.

The human brain is a fantastically complex system, capable of transforming a torrent of incoming information into thought and action. In this course, we will look at how the various subsystems of the brain work together to enable us to survive and thrive in a changing world. Each lesson will challenge you with interactive segments, animations, and documentaries that explore the richness and complexity of the brain. Our forums will provide you with a place to meet other students around the world, and you can learn from each other through a series of discussion questions. Do you want to learn about how brains perceive the world? Join us as we explore sensation, perception and the physiology of functional regions of the brain.

There is an overload of information about nutrition and health, but what is the truth and what can you do to improve the health of your patients? Learn more about nutrition and how our diet profoundly impacts our current and future health. This course addresses the relationship between nutrition and human health, with a focus on health problems related to overnutrition. In this course, Professor Sander Kersten from Wageningen University & Research will explain about the composition of the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat and protein. You will learn about their role in the body (how they are absorbed, stored and metabolized for energy) and their impact on our health. Moreover, this course will cover energy homeostasis and the regulation of body weight. You will learn about overweight and obesity and strategies to improve and combat these problems of overnutrition. Finally, the course will make you familiar with nutritional research and research methodologies. This course is especially useful for health care professionals and people working in the food industry with a non-nutrition background. You will develop a critical mindset by learning to better weigh and interpret information about food, nutrition and health. This course, is part of the Food, Nutrition and Health Professional Certificate Program of Wageningen University & Research. Did you already complete Nutrition and Health: Micronutrients and Malnutrition ? That is the other course in the Food, Nutrition and Health Professional Certificate Program. To explore other learning opportunities about nutrition, have a look at the courses: Food Risks Human Microbiome Nutrition and Cancer Nutrition, Heart Disease and Diabetes

Chemistry and biology are traditionally taught as separate subjects at the high school level, where students memorize fundamental scientific principles that are universally accepted. However, at the university level and in industry, we learn that science is not as simple as we once thought. We are constantly confronted by questions about the unknown and required to use creative, integrated approaches to solve these problems. By bringing together knowledge from multidisciplinary fields, we are empowered with the ability to generate new ideas. The goal of this course is to develop skills for generating new ideas at the interface between chemistry and biology by analyzing pioneering studies. When should I register? Registration will be open throughout the course.

Life on our planet is diverse. While we can easily recognize this in our everyday surroundings, an even more diverse world of life can be seen when we look under a microscope. This is the world of microorganisms. Microorganisms are everywhere, and although some are notorious for their roles in human disease, many play important roles in sustaining our global environment. Among the wide variety of microorganisms, here we will explore those that thrive in the most extreme environments, the extremophiles. In this course, we will discover how diverse life is on our planet and consider the basic principles that govern evolution. We will also learn how we can classify organisms. Following this, we will have a look at several examples of extreme environments, and introduce the microorganisms that thrive under these harsh conditions. We will lay emphasis on the thermophiles, extremophiles that grow at high temperatures and will study how proteins from thermophiles can maintain their structure and function at high temperatures.