Explore the secret of life through the basics of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, recombinant DNA, genomics and rational medicine. Read fully to understand the verified-certificate option. Join Professor Eric Lander and the MITx Biology team in an exciting learning experience available for...

Learn how to align and analyze DNA sequences using web and software based tools to find mutations and other anomalies in genes and genomic sequences. Gene sequences and the rest of the genome play an important role in determining how an organism functions normally and reacts when situations change. DNA...

An in-depth adventure through DNA replication and repair to strengthen your scientific thinking and experimental design skills. You’re acquainted with your DNA, but did you know that your cells synthesize enough DNA during your lifetime to stretch a lightyear in length? How does the cellular machinery...

Learn about the most fascinating animals on Earth, their sophisticated senses and how sharks and their relatives have impacted human history and culture. Sharks! Global Biodiversity, Biology, and Conservation: Did you know that you can track some sharks’ movements on Twitter? Or that the scales on their...

Learn to use anthropological ideas to see the world from a range of perspectives and points of view. This course will allow you to better understand the world around you through utilising the anthropological lens. You will learn about the way in which anthropology as a discipline can shed new perspectives...

We need to understand the sciencebehind global warming to avoid the most damaging and irreversible climate change impacts on people and planet. Climate change is arguably the greatest challenge of our time. Human activity has already warmed the planet by one degree Celsius relative to pre-industrial...

Get prepared for heavier rainfall and the increasing demand for food! The #1 Agricultural University of the world will teach you how to design and implement effective drainage systems in agriculture. You will learn how to create a perfect soil profile for optimal growing conditions for a crop and help...

A holistic view of how the ocean functions, how human interactions with the ocean can be understood, and what solutions are available to support both sustainable use and stewardship of our blue planet. Is the ocean the real final frontier? Humans have a greater understanding of the surface of the moon...

A new class is starting at virology blog: Virology 101. I began this blog in 2004, to give back what I’ve learned from studying viruses for 30+ years. I’ve written many posts on basic virology, but they tend to disappear with time. To remedy this problem, I’ve collected all these posts with links...

Soon after the new influenza H1N1 strain emerged in April 2009, I began a series of blog posts on basic aspects of influenza virus replication and pathogenesis. The goal of this series is to provide information that will allow everyone to better understand the events surrounding emergence and spread...

Learn about proteins and the important role structure plays in their function as you learn how to analyze and align protein sequences. Proteins play a very important role in all organisms. In fact, most of the work that happens inside every cell happens because a specific protein is employed for a specific...

Methods used for the study of viruses Viral growth * Multiplicity of Infection * Influenza virus growth in eggs Viral detection * Influenza hemagglutination inhibition assay * Influenza microneutralization assay * Detecting viruses: the plaque assay * Measurement of viruses by end-point dilution...

This Columbia University virology course is offered each year in the spring semester. The basic thesis of the course is that all viruses adopt a common strategy. The strategy is simple: 1. Viral genomes are contained in metastable particles. 2. Genomes encode gene products that promote an infectious...

Learn about how the quality of water is a direct result of complex bio-geo-chemical interactions, and about how to use these processes to mitigate water quality issues. Interested in environmental issues, but unsure where to start? This is the course for you! High quality water, to be provided for drinking...

Explore the complex relationships between people, pathogens, and our evolutionary past in the first MOOC on evolutionary medicine. Have you ever wondered why we often develop a fever when we get sick? Or a cough? Why do we get cancer? Or the flu? Or allergies? Why do our bodies succumb to disease at...

Understand the genetic and statistic principles that enable responsible animal breeding and set-up and improve your own breedingprogram. Animal breeding involves the selective breeding of domestic or livestock animals with the intention to improve desirable (and heritable) qualities in the next generation...

Are you interested in more than just the taste of beer? Discover what's in your beer, howit's made and marketed and the effectit hason your body and health. Have you ever taken a sip of beer and wondered why it tastes a certain way or what effect the alcohol has on your body? In this course, you will...

Learn the basics of sustainable processing for biobased products to further understand their impact on global sustainability. As fossil-based fuels and raw materials contribute to climate change, the use of renewable materials and energy as an alternative is increasingly important and common. This transition...

A workshop-style introduction to tools used in biological research. Discover how to analyze data using computational methods. Do you have an interest in biology and quantitative tools? Do you know computational methods but do not realize how they apply to biological problems? Do you know biology but...

Learn basic R programming to analyze biological big data to locate genes, perform simulations, and gauge the effect of specific markers. Improvements in modern biology have led to a rapid increase in sensitivity and measurability in experiments and have reached the point where it is often impossible...