Quantitative Biology Workshop from edX

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 do not understand how scientists really analyze complicated data? 7.QBWx: Quantitative Biology Workshop is designed to give learners exposure to the application of quantitative tools to analyze biological data at an introductory level. The Biology Department of MIT has run this workshop-style course as part of a one-week outreach program for students from other universities. With 7.QBWx, we can give more learners from around the world the chance to discover quantitative biology. We hope that this series of workshops encourages learners to explore new interests and take more biology and computational courses.

We expect that learners from 7.00x Introduction to Biology - The Secret of Life or an equivalent course can complete this workshop-based course without a background in programming. The course content will introduce programming languages but will not teach any one language in a comprehensive manner. The content of each week varies. We want learners to have an introduction to multiple languages and tools to find a topic that they would want to explore more. We recommend that learners try to complete each week to find what interests them the most.

This workshop includes activities on the following biological topics: population biology, biochemical equilibrium and kinetics, molecular modeling of enzymes, visual neuroscience, global and single-cell gene expression, development, and genomics. The tools and programming languages include MATLAB, PyMOL, Python, and R. This course does not require learners to download MATLAB. All MATLAB activities run and are graded within the edX platform. We do recommend that participants download a few other free tools for the activities so that they learn how to use the same tools and programs that scientists use.

Workshop Content Creators and Residential Leaders

Gregory Hale, Michael Goard, Ben Stinson, Kunle Demuren, Sara Gosline, Glenna Foight, Leyla Isik, Samir El-Boustani, Gerald Pho, and Rajeev Rikhye

Residential Outreach Workshop Organizer and Creator

Mandana Sassanfar

What's inside

Learning objectives

Apply quantitative methods to biological problems
Define computational vocabulary
Write python, matlab, and r code to analyze biological data

Examine any protein structure in pymol
Analyze how to answer a scientific question through a step-by-step thought process.

Apply quantitative methods to biological problems
Define computational vocabulary
Write python, matlab, and r code to analyze biological data
Examine any protein structure in pymol
Analyze how to answer a scientific question through a step-by-step thought process.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Designed for those with biological interests who use quantitative tools in biology or vice-versa

Develops expertise in the use of tools and methods like MATLAB, PyMOL, Python, and R

Conducive for beginners with introductory level biology and no programming background

Covers a wide range of biological topics like population biology, global gene expression and genomics

Emphasizes problem-solving and critical thinking by introducing a step-by-step approach to answering scientific questions

Taught by a team of renowned instructors with expertise in biology, quantitative methods, and research

Reviews summary

Excellent quantitative biology

According to students, this course titled "Quantitative Biology" is excellent! Students say it's challenging, covers lots of important topics, has great learning content, materials, and lectures, and features difficult but well-explained content and even exposure to tutorials from MathWorks. Overall, students say this course is a great value.

This course provides great learning materials, content, and lectures.

"Great lectures and terrific course materials."

This course covers a wide range of important and interesting topics in quantitative biology.

"Covers a very wide range of extremely interesting and important topics in quantitative biology."

The concepts covered may be difficult, but the explanations provided are clear.

"I found the learning content in this course challenging..."

"The way they explain is really good even if you don't know anything of programming or biology"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Quantitative Biology Workshop with these activities:

Explore MATLAB Tutorials

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Strengthen your foundational understanding of MATLAB to enhance your ability to apply it to biological problems.

Browse courses on MATLAB

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Find online tutorials for MATLAB basics
Complete the tutorials to gain proficiency in MATLAB syntax and commands

Revisit basic algebra and statistics

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This will ensure you are ready to jump into the more challenging aspects of the course

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Review your notes from high school algebra
Take a practice statistics quiz online

Brush up on your programming skills

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Brushing up on your programming skills will help you to succeed in the course, which requires you to be able to write code to analyze biological data.

Browse courses on Programming

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Take a programming course or tutorial.
Work on programming projects.
Contribute to open source projects.

12 other activities

Expand to see all activities and additional details

Show all 15 activities

Practice using a programming language

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You will need to be able to write code to complete the assignments in this course

Browse courses on Python

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Complete a coding tutorial in the language of your choice
Solve a few coding challenges online

Follow a series of online tutorials on quantitative biology

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Following online tutorials can help you to learn the basics of quantitative biology and to get started with using programming tools.

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Find a series of online tutorials that cover the topics you are interested in.
Set aside regular time to watch the tutorials.
Take notes on the material.
Complete the exercises and assignments.

Form a study group with other students in the course

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Studying with other students can help you to learn the material and to prepare for exams.

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Find other students in the course who are interested in forming a study group.
Set up a regular meeting time.
Discuss the course material.
Work on problem sets together.
Quiz each other on the material.

Join a study group with other students in the course

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This will provide you with a support network and allow you to learn from others

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Find a study group that meets your schedule and learning style
Attend study group meetings regularly
Participate in discussions and ask questions

Practice coding problems in Python, MATLAB, and R

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Working through coding problems will help to improve your programming skills and your ability to solve biological problems with computational approaches.

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Find a set of coding problems that cover the topics you are learning in the course.
Set aside regular time to work on the problems.
Don't give up if you get stuck. Seek help from the course forums or from a tutor.
Keep a notebook to track your progress and the solutions to the problems you have solved.

Quantitative Biology Practice Exercises

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Reinforce your understanding of quantitative biology concepts by solving practical exercises.

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Identify online platforms or textbooks with quantitative biology exercises
Solve the exercises, focusing on applying the concepts to real-world biological problems

Follow tutorials on using PyMOL

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PyMOL is a powerful tool for visualizing and analyzing molecular structures

Browse courses on PyMOL

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Watch a tutorial on the basics of PyMOL
Complete a few practice exercises in PyMOL

Create a collection of resources on quantitative biology

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Creating a collection of resources can help you to learn about the field and to find the information you need.

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Start by brainstorming a list of topics that you are interested in.
Use a search engine to find resources on those topics.
Organize the resources into a collection.
Share the collection with others.

Complete practice problems on population biology

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Population biology is a fundamental concept in biology

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Solve practice problems on population growth and decline
Analyze data on population dynamics

Build a computational model of a biological system

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Building a computational model will help you to understand the behavior of the system and to make predictions about its behavior under different conditions.

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Choose a biological system that you are interested in.
Identify the key components of the system and the interactions between them.
Develop a mathematical model of the system.
Implement the model in a programming language.
Test the model and make sure that it accurately reproduces the behavior of the system.

Write a blog post on a topic related to quantitative biology

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This will help you to solidify your understanding of the material and to communicate your knowledge to others

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Choose a topic that you are interested in
Research the topic and gather information
Write a blog post that explains the topic clearly and concisely

Create a tutorial on a quantitative biology topic

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Creating a tutorial will help you to solidify your understanding of the topic and to share your knowledge with others.

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Choose a topic that you are comfortable with.
Develop a plan for your tutorial.
Create the content for your tutorial.
Share your tutorial with others.

Career center

Learners who complete Quantitative Biology Workshop will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Computational Biologist

Computational Biologists use computer science and numerical analysis to address problems in biology, often in collaboration with biologists who study those problems from a more qualitative point of view. In a career as a Computational Biologist, you can expect to use your expertise in two distinct areas: mathematics, computer science, and life sciences. This course provides an opportunity to build foundational knowledge in computational approaches and apply them in the context of biological problems, preparing you for success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computational Biologist

Biostatistician

Biostatisticians apply statistical methods to biological data, helping to design experiments, analyze data, and interpret results. In your career as a Biostatistician, you can expect to use statistical models to analyze data and draw conclusions about biological processes. This course will help you build foundational knowledge in data analysis and programming, preparing you for success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Biostatistician

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge and insights from data. This course will help you build a foundation in data analysis and visualization, preparing you for success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Biomedical Engineer

Biomedical Engineers apply engineering principles to solve problems in medicine and biology. In this career field, you can expect to design and develop medical devices and treatments. This course provides an opportunity to apply computational methods to biological problems, which is a valuable skill for Biomedical Engineers.

See salaries and explore the career path for Biomedical Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course will help you build a foundation in programming and software development, preparing you for success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts use mathematical and statistical methods to analyze data and make predictions. In a career as a Quantitative Analyst, you can expect to use your expertise in math and programming to develop models and make predictions in areas such as finance and economics. This course provides an opportunity to build a foundation in programming and data analysis, which will be beneficial for a Quantitative Analyst.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quantitative Analyst

Computational Geneticist

Computational Geneticists use computer science and mathematics to study the human genome. This course will help you build a foundation in programming and data analysis, which will be beneficial for a Computational Geneticist.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computational Geneticist

Bioinformatician

Bioinformaticians use computer science and mathematics to analyze biological data. This course will help you build a foundation in programming and data analysis, which is beneficial for a Bioinformatician.

See salaries and explore the career path for Bioinformatician

Neuroscientist

Neuroscientists study the nervous system. In this career field, you can expect to study the structure and function of the brain and spinal cord. This course provides an opportunity to apply computational methods to the study of the nervous system, which is an emerging field of research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Neuroscientist

Epidemiologist

Epidemiologists study the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events (including disease), and the application of this study to the control of diseases and other health problems. This course provides an introduction to data analysis and programming, which can be applied to the study of epidemiology.

See salaries and explore the career path for Epidemiologist

Systems Biologist

Systems Biologists use mathematical and computational methods to model and analyze complex biological systems. In this career, you can expect to use your expertise in math and programming to develop models of biological systems and make predictions about their behavior. This course provides an introduction to computational methods for analyzing biological data, which is a valuable skill for Systems Biologists.

See salaries and explore the career path for Systems Biologist

Science Writer

Science Writers communicate complex scientific information to a general audience. In this career, you can expect to write articles, blog posts, and other forms of content that explain scientific concepts in a clear and engaging way. This course will help you build your science communication skills by providing you with an opportunity to write about your own research findings.

See salaries and explore the career path for Science Writer

Healthcare Data Analyst

Healthcare Data Analysts use data analysis techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. This course will help you build foundational knowledge in data analysis and programming, preparing you for success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Healthcare Data Analyst

Medical Physicist

Medical Physicists use their knowledge of physics to solve problems in medicine. This course provides an opportunity to apply computational methods to medical problems, which is a valuable skill for Medical Physicists.

See salaries and explore the career path for Medical Physicist

Biomedical Imaging Scientist

Biomedical Imaging Scientists use medical imaging techniques to diagnose and treat diseases. This course will help you build foundational knowledge in programming and data analysis, preparing you for success in this field.

See salaries and explore the career path for Biomedical Imaging Scientist