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24 Free Life Science Courses to Complete in 2022

Written by: Lucy Walters
Published on: 18 Oct 2022

Life Science CoursesRegardless of whether you’re looking for your 10th Life Science job or are looking for your first step in the industry, completing courses and workshops in your own time can be a great way of enhancing your CV.

Completing courses to list on your CV can demonstrate your proactive approach to learning and development as well as your awareness of current industry developments, challenges, and opportunities. It will also allow you to build on your knowledge and skills beyond the roles you’ve held, enabling you to differentiate yourself from applicants with a similar professional background.

In this article, we’ve rounded up 24 free Life Science courses for you to complete in 2022, most of which are online and self-paced, allowing you to learn in your own time.

Whilst these courses are free to enrol and provide access to review course material, additional fees may be required to complete graded assignments and exams.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology via Edx

Introduction to Biology – The Secret of Life

This course covers the basics of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, recombinant DNA, genomics, and rational medicine.

  • 16 weeks, 5-10 hours per week.
  • Instructor-paced.

Quantitative Biology Workshop

An introduction to the tools used in biological research and will teach you how to analyse data using computational methods.

  • 9 weeks, 4-8 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Harvard University via Edx

Cell Biology: Mitochondria

Focusing on the mitochondria, this course provides a human-centred approach to the fundamentals of cell biology.

  • 4 weeks, 2-4 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Bioethics: The Law, Medicine, and Ethics of Reproductive Technologies and Genetics

An introduction to the study of bioethics and the application of legal and ethical reasoning.

  • 10 weeks, 1-2 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Principles of Biochemistry

This course provides and introduction to biochemistry, exploring the molecules of life.

  • 15 weeks, 4-6 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Case Studies in Functional Genomics

Using open source software, perform RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq, and DNA methylation data analyses.

  • 5 weeks, 2-4 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

EPFL via Edx

Cellular Mechanisms of Brain Function

This course aims for a mechanistic description of mammalian brain function at the level of individual nerve cells and their synaptic interactions.

  • 8 weeks, 4-5 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

The Multi-Scale Brain

Explore the latest data, models, and techniques for investigating the different levels of the brain.

  • 7 weeks, 4-6 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Fundamentals of Biomedical Imaging: Ultrasounds, X-ray, position emission tomography (PET) and applications

Learn how principles of basic science are integrated into major biomedical imaging modalities and the different techniques used.

  • 7 weeks, 4-5 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Fundamentals of Biomedical Imaging: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

This course explores magnetic resonance, from the physical principles of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to the basic concepts of image reconstruction.

  • 6 weeks, 4-5 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Image Processing and Analysis for Life Scientists

The goal of this course is to teach how to address and solve scientific questions using state-of-the-art image analysis strategies.

  • 7 weeks, 2-3 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

The University of Adelaide via Edx

Essential Human Biology: Cells and Tissues

An introduction to the human body’s most fundamental building blocks and their behaviours in health and disease.

  • 5 weeks, 2-3 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

UC San Diego via Edx

Dynamic Programming: Applications in Machine Learning and Genomics

Learn how dynamic programming and Hidden Markov Models can be used to compare genetic strings and uncover evolution.

  • 4 weeks, 8-10 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

Graph Algorithms in Genome Sequencing

Learn how graphs are used to assemble millions of pieces of DNA into a contiguous genome and use these genomes to construct a Tree of Life.

  • 3 weeks, 8-10 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

RICE via Edx

DNA: Biology’s Genetic Code

This course explores DNA structure, organisation, replication, and manipulation.

  • 6 weeks, 4-6 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

UC San Diego via Coursera

Drug Commercialization

This course covers pharmacoeconomics, marketing strategy, intellectual property strategy, portfolio management, managed markets, and strategic alliances.

  • 13 hours.
  • Beginner level.

Drug Development

Learn the different stages of clinical development as well as regulation.

  • 10 hours.
  • Beginner level.

Drug Discovery

Learn the drug discovery process up to the filing of an Initial New Drug Application or IND.

  • 9 hours.
  • Beginner level.

The University of British Columbia via Edx

Biospecimen Research Methods

Learn and apply best practices to collecting, storing, and using biospecimens in your laboratory.

  • 6 weeks, 4-5 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

KU LEUVEN via Edx

Vaccines: from smallpox to technologies of the future

Gain insights into the past, present, and future of global immunization.

  • 6 weeks, 3-5 hours per week.
  • Self-paced.

University of Geneva via Coursera

Precision Medicine

This course will provide the key knowledge and tools needed to understand the fundamentals and practical implications of precision medicine, including its opportunities and challenges.

  • 28 hours.
  • Intermediate level.

Johns Hopkins University via Coursera

Data Science in Real Life

This is a focused course designed to get you up to speed on doing data science in real life.

  • 7 hours.

University of Manchester via Coursera

Industrial Biotechnology

This course covers the key enabling technologies that underpin biotechnology research.

  • 11 hours.
  • Beginner level.

University of Minnesota via Coursera

Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Innovations

This course will provide an in-depth view of the intellectual property creation that is vital to creating breakthrough technologies.

  • 13 hours.
  • Beginner level.