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MITx: Principles of Synthetic Biology

Learn how to engineer biological systems and program organisms to perform novel tasks.

Principles of Synthetic Biology
15 weeks
8–10 hours per week
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule
This course is archived
Principles of Synthetic Biology

About this course

Skip About this course

Do you like biology, biotechnology, or genetic engineering? Are you interested in computer science, engineering, or design? Synthetic Biology is an innovative field bringing together these subject areas and many more to create useful tools to solve everyday problems.

This introductory synthetic biology course starts with a brief overview of the field and then delves into more challenging yet exciting concepts. You will learn how to design your very own biological regulatory circuits and consider ways in which you can apply these circuits to real-world problems we face today.

From basic oscillators, toggle switches, and band-pass filters to more sophisticated circuits that build upon these devices, you will learn what synthetic biologists of today are currently constructing and how these circuits can be used in interesting and novel ways.

Join us as we explore the field of synthetic biology: its past, present, and promising future!

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Electronic Oscillator, Synthetic Biology, Computer Science, Biology, Biological Systems, Network Switches, Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering

What you'll learn

Skip What you'll learn
  • Modern techniques in DNA assembly and regulation of gene expression and protein activity
  • How to design basic biological circuits
  • Principles for scaling up and creating large-scale biological circuits and regulatory networks
  • Basic ODE modeling of biological systems with MATLAB, introduction to Cello: genetic circuit design automation software

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

Ways to take this course

Choose your path when you enroll.

Certificate

Free

Price

$49 USD

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Access to course materials

Unlimited

Limited

World-class institutions and universities

edX support

Shareable certificate upon completion

Graded assignments and exams

Read our FAQsin a new tab about frequently asked questions on these tracks.

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