7 Best Online Molecular Biology Courses and Training Classes [Updated March 2023]

About the course 

If you have landed here after a tiresome search for “molecular biology courses near me,” we have everything you need. Ranking first in our online molecular biology courses list is an edX course. Over 45,000 students have enrolled in the course.

You are familiar with your DNA, but were you aware that your cells synthesize adequate DNA throughout your life, which can stretch to about a lightyear in length. Did you ever ponder how your body's cellular machinery is capable of accomplishing this complex task without making more mistakes than your body can handle? Why is the prevalence of cancer not higher than it currently is? More so, if the DNA in all the cells is about two meters long, how does this genetic material fit inside the cell's nucleus without entangling?  

Now, are you ready to take a leap of faith and travel from the what of this scientific information that is widely available in textbooks to explore the how? Did you ever consider how scientists are capable of deducing the details of these molecular models?

Try to understand the BTS of modern molecular genetics from the everyday experimental events that identify the proteins, which go in DNA repair and replication to innovative assays that use genome sequencing. Are you 100% sure of your ability to perform molecular biology experiments and interpret the data related to them? In this molecular biology online course, your tutor has designed the problems, enabling you to develop data analysis and experimental design skills.

It is a free course. However, on the successful completion of these molecular biology classes, you can be eligible for a certificate. This will be an official and verified certificate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It will be instructor-signed and have the institution's logo, thereby authenticating your achievement. It is an easily shareable certificate. So, you can add this certificate to your resume or CV or share it on your LinkedIn.

What will you learn? 

After completing this molecular biology training program, you will learn a couple of things. Some of the things that this course will teach you are: 

1. Comparing and contrasting the DNA replication mechanisms in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
2. Describing several enzymatic mechanisms, which the cells employ to tolerate or repair the DNA damage. 
3. Analyzing the protein structures to avail of functional information. 
4. Designing the best experiment methods to gauge the hypothesis associated with the repair protein or DNA replication. 
5. Interpreting the data from repair experiments and DNA replication. 

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, these online molecular biology courses by edX cannot be taken by learners from certain regions or countries, such as the Crimea region of Ukraine, Cuba, and Iran. Even though edX has sought licenses from the OFAC to ensure that the MIT courses are accessible to the learners in these regions and countries, sadly, the licenses received are not broad enough to allow MIT to do so. If you are from these countries or regions, you can look for the other online molecular biology courses on our list. 

What do you need?

It is an eight-week course, which requires an effort of four to six hours every week. Please bear in mind that it is an advanced instructor-led course. So, there are certain prerequisites before taking this course. Therefore, before taking up this course, the instructor advises you to take the 7.00x Introduction to Biology and 7.05x Biochemistry or similar (biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics).

About the course 

In our list for the online molecular biology courses, next in line is a second part of the course that we just mentioned above. Over 19,000 students have taken this course, and it is an excellent course for people who wish to learn more about molecular biology. 

In part 2 of this one of the top-performing online molecular biology courses, you will explore the transcription of DNA to RNA, which is a significant part of biology's central dogma and is the first key step in gene expression. 

The transposable elements or the genetic information, which travels from one location to another, compose approximately fifty percent of the human genome. Scientists have linked their movement into specific genes to the cause of particular diseases. Further, through this course, you will also learn how the jumping genes work and how scientists study them. So, if you are willing to go beyond the what of this scientific information presented in textbooks and explore how scientists conclude the details of the molecular models, this can be the course for you. 

With this course, your mentor will help you see through the BTS of the modern molecular genetics from the classic experimental events, which identify the elements and the proteins involved in the transposition and transcription to the cutting-edge assays, which apply the genome sequencing power. It also has several problems designed to help you establish some data analysis and experimental design skills. 

Upon successfully completing this molecular biology online course, you will bag yourself an official shareable certificate. This will be an instructor-signed and an official and a verified certificate with the institution's logo. It can help you demonstrate your achievement and better your job prospects. This course can be a great motivator to take and complete the course on time. 

What will you learn?

Some of the things that this molecular biology online course will teach you are listed below.

1. Vital steps to compare and contrast the DNA transcription in eukaryotes and prokaryotes.
2. Describing several mechanisms of transportation
3. Analyzing the protein structures to deduce functional information. 
4. Designing the best experiment methods to check the hypothesis.
5. Interpreting the data from transportation and transcription experiments.

Syllabus

1. Week 1 : Machinery and Promoters of Bacterial Transcription
2. Week 2 : Bacterial Regulation of Bacterial Transcription
3. Week 3 : Machinery and Promoters of Eukaryotic Transcription

Who can take this course? 

Anyone with interest in molecular biology can take this course. However, please bear in mind that learners from certain countries or regions cannot avail of this course. It includes the learners from Cuba, Iran, and the Crimea region of Ukraine. Even though edX has sought a license from the Office of Foreign Assets Control to offer the courses to learners worldwide, the licenses are not broad enough to provide the courses in the mentioned locations. 

What do you need?

It is a seven-week course and will require an effort of four to eight hours every week. Since it is a 100% online edX molecular biology course, you can watch it at your pace. But, there are a few prerequisites when it comes to taking this course. As it is an advanced course, taking this course, you will have to take a few other molecular biology courses. These molecular biology courses include 7.00x Introduction to Biology or similar (undergraduate biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics) and 7.28.1x Molecular Biology or similar (advanced DNA replication and repair). 

About the course 

Moving on to the last part of the molecular biology online course, we have Part 3 of 7.28x. In this edX molecular biology course, you will study along with your instructor to explore the conversion of mRNA to protein. It is a significant part of the central dogma of biology. 

A lot of you may not be aware, but the RNA splicing or RNA turnover has a direct implication on the conversion outcome. Even though it is not the official step in the central dogma, the RNA processing mechanisms directly impact gene expression.

So, now ask yourself a question: Are you up for going beyond the factuality of the scientific information listed in the textbook and exploring how scientists infer the details of these molecular models?

You can get the background of modern molecular biology from the classic experimental events, which identify the elements and proteins that are involved in the RNA splicing and translation to cutting-edge assays, which apply the genome sequencing power. If you are still unsure of your capability to perform molecular biology experiments and interpret the data from them, fret no more. In this edX molecular biology course, your instructor has designed the assessments, which can help you develop your data analysis and experimental design skills.  

Upon successfully completing this edX molecular biology course, you will earn yourself a verified certificate, highlighting your skills and knowledge. It is an official and verified instructor-signed certificate, which comes with the institution's logo. You can also share the certificate on your LinkedIn. Many believe that this is the motivator, which triggers the students to complete this edX molecular biology course. 

What will you learn

1. Understanding the right way to compare and contrast the DNA transcription in bacteria and eukaryotes.

2. Describing several mechanisms of RNA splicing and RNA turnover.

3. Analyzing the protein structures to deduce functional information. 

4. Designing the best experiment methods to examine the hypothesis.

5. Interpreting the data from translation and RNA processing experiments.

Syllabus 

1. Week 1: Translation I – Overview and Key Players
2. Week 2: Translation II – Elongation
3. Week 3: Translation III – Initiation and Termination
4. Week 4: Translation IV – Regulation of Translation
5. Week 5: RNA Splicing I – Mechanisms
6. Week 6: RNA Splicing II – Proofreading and Alternative Splicing
7. Week 7: RNA Turnover I – Assays and General Mechanisms
8. Week 8: RNA Turnover II – Specific Bacterial and Eukaryotic Mechanisms

Who should take this course? 

Anyone on the lookout for good molecular biology training can take this course. It is a 100% online course, so it can be taken by anyone interested in the subject. However, learners from certain regions or countries are not eligible for this course. It mainly applies to the learners from Iran, Cuba, and the Crimea region of Ukraine. Even though edX worked hard to acquire the licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for providing their courses globally, the licenses are not broad enough and restrict the availability of the course in the mentioned regions. 

What do you need?

As one of the prevalent advanced molecular biology courses, it does have a few prerequisites. If you do not have prior knowledge of the subject, the course may be a bit difficult for you to comprehend. To solidify your background knowledge on the subject, you first need to take a few molecular biology courses. These molecular biology courses are 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).

Other than that, since it is an 8-week course, it needs time. So, you will have to put it in an effort of four to eight hours every week from your end. But as it is an online self-paced molecular biology training course, you can take it at your convenience. 

About the course 

Next in line, we have the online molecular biology courses from Coursera. Coursera provides you with a number of different molecular biology training course options. So, you do have a wide selection of online molecular biology courses to choose from. Of course, we will not go into the details explaining every course, but you can browse through the link above and then make a choice. 

Please know that all of these molecular biology classes entail different fields of molecular biology. You can make a pick depending on the concept of the subject, wherein you need more in-depth research. 

Some of the top Coursera molecular biology classes are:

1. Genomic Data Science Specialization
2. Introduction To Genetics And Evolution 
3. Chemical Biology
4. Biology Meets Programming – Bioinformatics For Beginners
5. Introduction To The Biology Of Cancer
6. Methods Of Molecular Biology
7. Whole Genome Sequencing Of Bacterial Genomes – Tools And Applications
8. Biology Everywhere Foundations

And more.

All of these molecular biology classes are provided by some of the reputed and recognized universities from around the world in collaboration with Coursera. The good thing about all of these courses is that they are all 100% online courses and have flexible deadlines. So, you can take and fix your deadlines as per your schedule. All of these courses are offered in English. But there are many different language subtitles that you get with this course for ensuring that people from different countries can understand the course effortlessly.

An incredible feature of this molecular biology training program is that you get a shareable certificate on this course's successful completion.

About the course 

Next, we have a molecular biology training course offered by MIT. It is a perfect course for the graduate or undergraduate level, wherein you genuinely have a lot to learn. 

Course features

Along with the molecular biology classes, the other course features include: 

1. Assignments - Problem sets with solutions. 
2. Assignments - Written with no examples. 
3. Practice exam papers along with their solutions

With this course, you get an in-depth analysis of biochemical mechanisms, which control the evolution, expression, and maintenance of eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes. 

Topics covered: 

In this course, the topics covered include: 

1. Gene regulation
2. DNA replication
3. Genetic recombination
4. mRNA translation

In particular, the special emphasis is on the data analysis and the logic of experimental design. 

About the course 

At number six, in line with your search for the best ‘molecular biology courses near me,’ we have a Cell and Molecular Biology course offered by UC San Diego. Through this course, the students will study the fields of molecular and cellular biology. Your educator will provide you with the necessary background and framework for chemistry and bio. Together, you will examine the key figures and discoveries from molecular biology and cellular history by offering an overview of the key tenants and organizing discipline principles.

Going further, the course will introduce you to the most vital techniques and methods employed by molecular and cellular biologists. This enables you to understand how the advancement in molecular biology has led to practical technologies. Further, your educator will also discuss with you the ethical implications of a few particular lines of research. 

Learning Objectives

Following the completion of this course, you will be able to: 

1. Apply the scientific method to test, generate, refine, abandon, or critique hypotheses. 
2. Explain and summarize the critical tenants of molecular and cellular biology. 
3. Understand the significance and the design of crucial experiments, starting from the background of molecular and cellular biology. 
4. Describing the standard experimental techniques and methods employed by molecular biologists. 
5. Acknowledging the different vital practical applications, which have arisen from the molecular biology
6. This course will help you earn 4.50 unit (s) credit.

About the course 

Last in our list for the top molecular biology classes includes two courses by Harvard University. 

Let us take a quick look at these courses one by one. 

A. Immunology

In this course, the classes will help you learn about the genetics, functions, and structure of the immune system. Further, there is a special focus on the research and development opportunities for therapeutic intervention, which arises from the recent advances in immunology.

As you move ahead in the course, you will learn how the immune system works and the cellular and molecular components and pathways that protect the organism from infectious agents or cancer. It is a detailed and comprehensive course that answers the questions as it explores the immune system's cells and molecules. The topics presented in the former half of the course will cover the function, structure, and the genetics of the immune system molecules, which includes the B - and T-cell receptors, immune system, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) proteins and cytokines, antibodies, and processes of antigen presentation and lymphocyte development.

In the second half of these molecular biology classes, there is a focus on how the immune system's individual components work together to fight viral, fungal or bacterial infections.

Furthermore, the basic concepts of immune system deficiencies, tumor immunity, autoimmunity, and AIDS are also studied. The course also takes you through the research and development opportunities for therapeutic intervention, which emerge from the recent immunology developments. You will also analyze the impact and effect of recombinant molecules as potential drug treatments. Once you are done, you will have a thorough understanding of the vital immune system elements. More so, the course will prepare you to engage further in this continually evolving field. 

It is an instructor-led pace course, which is of intermediate level. So, do ensure that you have some basic knowledge of the field before you enroll in it. 

Topics covered

1. Biochemistry
2. Biology
3. Genetics
4. Molecular biology

B. Novel Therapies for Chronic Inflammation, Autoimmunity, and Allergy 

This 10-week long self-paced Harvard course will help you advance your immune system knowledge. Further, you will unveil the relation between inflammatory and several other diseases. The course will also help you understand how the immune system is activated and regulated. This information is vital for anyone who works towards developing treatments for chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, allergy, or the application of these treatments in the clinic. 

With this course, you get a unique way to learn about the advances and new therapies that can be employed to treat chronic inflammation and related disease from the reputed Harvard Medical School faculty. 

It is an advanced-level course, and on the completion of the course, you will be rewarded with a Certificate of Achievement. 

What will you learn?

In these molecular biology classes, there is a lot for you to learn. Some of the vital things that this course teaches you are:

1. Learning the basics of how inflammation can lead to disease. 
2. Gaining an understanding of the different ways the drugs can be used for dampening the inflammatory response. It includes the employment of therapies, targeting migration, immune cells, and signalling, and some anti-cytokine therapies.
3. You will also browse through different examples of how inflammatory response knowledge can treat various diseases. 

Topics included

1. Health
2. Medicine
3. Diseases
4. Disorders
5. Healthcare
6. Immunology
7. Nursing
8. Biology
9. Biotechnology
10. Microbiology
11. Molecular Biology