Cell Biology

This is the first cell biology course in a three-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 Rebecca Lamason and Iain Cheeseman 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 and cellular signaling mechanisms and regulation 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 experiments that defined modern cell biology.

Implementing the science of learning in the course design.

What you'll learn

• How to apply biochemical and genetic approaches to address fundamental questions of transport and signaling in the cell.
• How to evaluate the conclusions and models that scientists develop about cell biology from experimental approaches and results.
• How to select specific empirical methods and techniques based on the different kinds of questions scientists ask.
• How to design experiments to answer cell biology experiments with proper controls.
• How to assess biological necessity and sufficiency from experimental results.
• How to compare and contrast protein transport and signaling pathways processes.
• How to identify recurring themes in protein transport and signal transduction.