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There are 4 modules in this course
This course introduces you to the basic biology of modern genomics and the experimental tools that we use to measure it. We'll introduce the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology and cover how next-generation sequencing can be used to measure DNA, RNA, and epigenetic patterns. You'll also get an introduction to the key concepts in computing and data science that you'll need to understand how data from next-generation sequencing experiments are generated and analyzed.
This is the first course in the Genomic Data Science Specialization.
In this Module, you can expect to study topics of "Just enough molecular biology", "The genome", "Writing a DNA sequence", "Central dogma", "Transcription", "Translation", and "DNA structure and modifications".
What's included
8 videos2 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 81 minutes
Why Genomics?•13 minutes
What Is Genomics?•7 minutes
What Is Genomic Data Science?•8 minutes
Just Enough Cell Biology•9 minutes
Important Molecules in Molecular Biology•8 minutes
The Human Genome Project•17 minutes
Molecular Biology Structures•9 minutes
From Genes to Phenotypes•9 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Syllabus•10 minutes
Pre-Course Survey•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Quiz 1: Overview and Molecular Biology•30 minutes
Measurement Technology
Module 2•1 hour to complete
Module details
In this module, you'll learn about polymerase chain reaction, next generation sequencing, and applications of sequencing.
What's included
3 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
3 videos•Total 25 minutes
Polymerase Chain Reaction•8 minutes
Next Generation Sequencing•8 minutes
Applications of Sequencing•9 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Quiz 2: Measurement Technology•30 minutes
Computing Technology
Module 3•1 hour to complete
Module details
The lectures for this module cover a few basic topics in computing technology. We'll go over the foundations of computer science, algorithms, memory and data structures, efficiency, software engineering, and computational biology software.
What's included
6 videos1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 39 minutes
What Is Computer Science?•5 minutes
Algorithms•4 minutes
Memory and Data Structures•7 minutes
Efficiency•3 minutes
Software Engineering•8 minutes
What is Computational Biology Software•11 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Quiz 3: Computing Technology•30 minutes
Data Science Technology
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
In this module on Data Science Technology, we'll be covering quite a lot of information about how to handle the data produced during the sequencing process. We'll cover reproducibility, analysis, statistics, question types, the central dogma of inference, analysis code, testing, prediction, variation, experimental design, confounding, power, sample size, correlation, causation, and degrees of freedom.
What's included
10 videos2 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
10 videos•Total 55 minutes
Why Care About Statistics?•4 minutes
What Went Wrong?•5 minutes
The Central Dogma of Statistics•4 minutes
Data Sharing Plans•4 minutes
Getting Help with Statistics•3 minutes
Plotting Your Data•5 minutes
Sample Size and Variability•8 minutes
Statistical Significance•6 minutes
Multiple Testing•8 minutes
Study Design, Batch Effects, and Confounding•8 minutes
2 readings•Total 20 minutes
Course Project Instructions and Reading•10 minutes
Post-Course Survey•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
Quiz 4: Data Science Technology•30 minutes
Course Project•30 minutes
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Learner reviews
4.6
4,870 reviews
5 stars
66.43%
4 stars
26.91%
3 stars
5.07%
2 stars
0.94%
1 star
0.63%
Showing 3 of 4870
C
CS
5·
Reviewed on Jun 23, 2019
Fantastic course from two true authorities in the field. Great examples, and I was surprisingly enthralled by the statistical section; turns out I just never had the right teacher!
L
LK
4·
Reviewed on Nov 16, 2019
This course had gave me the overview of the statistical analyses for genomic data analysis. This is useful for me as I can employ those statistical Analyses knowledge in the near future
J
JG
5·
Reviewed on Oct 19, 2025
The course is very informative and straightforward. It allows learners to grasp the basics effectively and highlights the foundational concept needed for the next competencies.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.