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Molecular Biology Free Online Course by MIT

Are you ready to go beyond the “what” of scientific information presented in textbooks and explore how scientists deduce the details of these molecular models?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology is offering a free online course on Molecular Biology – Part 3: RNA Processing and Translation. An in-depth adventure through RNA Processing and Translation. Strengthen your scientific thinking and biological experimental design skills.

This course will explore translation of mRNA to protein, a key part of the central dogma of biology.

Course At A Glance

Length: 8 weeks
Effort: 4-8 hours pw
Subject: Biology & Life Sciences
Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology and edx
Languages: English
Price: Free
Certificate Available: Yes, Add a Verified Certificate for $50
Session: Self-Paced

Providers’ Details

Massachusetts Institute of Technology — a coeducational, privately endowed research university founded in 1861 — is dedicated to advancing knowledge and educating students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. Learn more about MIT. Through MITx, the Institute furthers its commitment to improving education worldwide.

About This Course

In Part 3 of 7.28x, you’ll explore the translation of mRNA to protein, a key part of the central dogma of biology. Do you know how RNA turnover or RNA splicing affects the outcome of translation? Although not official steps in the central dogma, the mechanisms of RNA processing strongly influence gene expression.

Are you ready to go beyond the “what” of scientific information presented in textbooks and explore how scientists deduce the details of these molecular models?

Take a behind-the-scenes look at modern molecular biology, from the classic experimental events that identified the proteins and elements involved in translation and RNA splicing to cutting-edge assays that apply the power of genome sequencing. Do you feel confident in your ability to design molecular biology experiments and interpret data from them? University has designed the assessments in this course to build your experimental design and data analysis skills.

Why Take This Course?

This is a free online course. This MOOC will be offered with Video Transcripts in English.  Applicants can get a verified certificate.

Learning Outcomes

  • How to compare and contrast translation in bacteria and eukaryotes
  • How to describe several mechanisms of RNA turnover and RNA splicing
  • How to analyze protein structures to infer functional information
  • How to design the best experiment to test a hypothesis
  • How to interpret data from translation and RNA processing experiments

Instructors

  • Stephen P. Bell: HHMI Investigator; Professor of Biology
  • Tania A. Baker: HHMI Investigator; Whitehead Professor of Biology
  • Mary Ellen Wiltrout: MITx Digital Learning Scientist, Department of Biology
  • Sera Thornton: MITx Digital Learning Fellow, Department of Biology
  • Swati Carr: MITx Digital Learning Fellow, Department of Biology

Requirements

7.00x Introduction to Biology or similar (undergraduate biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics), 7.28.1x and 7.28.2x Molecular Biology or similar (advanced understanding of the central dogma)

How To Join This Course

  • Go to the course website link
  • Create an edX account to SignUp
  • Choose “Register Now” to get started.
  • EdX offers honor code certificates of achievement, verified certificates of achievement, and XSeries certificates of achievement. Currently, verified certificates are only available in some courses.
  • Once applicant Sign up for a course and activate their account, click on the login button on the edx.org homepage and type in their email address and edX password. This will take them to the dashboard, with access to each of their active courses. (Before a course begins, it will be listed on their dashboard but will not yet have a “view course” option.)

Apply Now