Basic Sciences
Lectures in Biochemistry, Embryology, Micro and Cell Biology are here as reference mostly. Further courses in Behavioral Health, Immunology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Physiology are aimed at mastering the key principles of therapeutic options.
Anatomy
Our bodies are complex and unique systems. During the Anatomy course you will learn how our bodies are structured, our organs function and which exact purpose they serve. With the help of interactive materials and online illustrated encyclopedia you’ll move from the basic concepts of anatomical position and movement definitions to learning the composition and function principles of the nervous system. Moving from head to toes you will learn the name and the function of each and every body part within the human body.
Biochemistry
Biochemistry is a relatively new science offering us a deeper understanding of the basics of life through the study of cells, organelles and molecules. This course goes as an introduction to the fascinating world of building materials that comprise all parts of our bodies.
During the scope of your studies you will learn about the structure and key properties of the most important biochemical compounds (water, weak acids and amino acids, proteins, enzymes, lipids and the basics of DNA replication). Related areas such as the fundamentals of biotechnology and glycolysis will be also discussed during the second and third part of the video lectures course.
Cell Biology
Cells are the tiniest structural and functional building blocks of any live organism. Human bodies are composed of trillions of cells. During this course you will learn about the cell structure and organization. You’ll get to know how those tiny items take nutrients from food, convert them into energy and serve a great variety of specialized functions within our body. You’ll discover the key patterns of cell cycle, mitosis and reproduction – meaning the way how our body loses and regenerates itself. Cell Biology course also entails an introductory course to Biogenetics that includes a series of lectures on the genetics code, gene regulation and expression. The second half of the course is comprised of lectures revolving around certain body systems – reproductive, digestive, immune systems and more with a final lecture covering the basics of cancer biology and medicine, a subject you may later take as part of the Clinical Sciences Curriculum.
Embryology
Embryology is a special division of Biology that studies the exact processes of creating a new life. From the development of gametes or sex cells to the process of fertilization, and development of embryos and fetuses, this science will help you understand the step-by-step process of new organism formation.
The goal of this course is to develop a solid understanding of the essential aspects of embryogenesis and get to know that many pre-birth malformations and birth defects arise from the improper control of specific embryological events. You will learn about all stages and processes a human organism passes from a pair of gametes to a fully-developed fetus; gain a solid understanding of the fertilization process; learn how the fertilized cell develops during the pre-implantation and implantation stage and morph into an embryo during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. The final part of the course covers the fetal phase of development along with the chromosomal and gene mutations processes that might occur at different stages of organism development.
Behavioral Biology
Behavioral Biology is a trilling, interdisciplinary science that will help you understand how biology affects the mind, and the mind affects the body. This course was developed by professor Robert Sapolsky – a renowned neurobiologist, best selling author and one of the finest teachers in Stanford.
In 25 video lectures you will get to know how our behavioral patterns evolved within time and which factors majorly contributed to this process. You’ll master the basics of molecular and behavioral genetics that studies the inheritance of certain behavioral traits. Related areas such as Neuroscience, Endocrinology, Human Sexual Behavior and common physiological disease such as Schizophrenia will be also covered within the scope of this course.
Immunology
Learn how our bodies naturally resist infection and toxins with the help of the immune system. This amazing course from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, created by professor Harris Goldstein offers a general introduction to the composition of the immune system, followed by 13 more lectures explaining the system’s specific parts and sub-systems. You’ll finish the course with a solid understanding of what are T-lymphocytes and why they are crucially important for keeping our bodies healthy; get to know what is humoral immune response and how our immune system acts when invaded by pathogens.
Neuroanatomy
Being part of biology, neuroscience deals with one particular system in our body – the nervous system. In particular, you will grasp the key concepts of Neuroanatomy and learn the exact composition of nervous tissue and neural structures that form the complete nervous system.
The course includes working with large graphical materials and online textbook and covers the following major topics as Pathways, Structure and Vasculature of the Central Nervous System.
Physiology
Learn how living things normally work and function by diving into the incredible world of physiological processes that make our bodies function the way they do.
Within this lengthy course of video lectures you’ll move from the simplest to the most complicated process constantly happening inside our bodies: from the property of Homeostasis that regulates such important parameters as our body temperature and the balance between acidity and alkalinity (pH balance) to the more complex processes of cell diffusion and osmosis. As you master the fundamentals, you will proceed to analyzing more compound processes including digestion and the functional anatomy of respective organs; hormones production and their respective roles within the organism; muscle functions and their composition; blood and lymphatic system functions; and gain some additional insights about the immune and reproduction system that were not previously covered in other courses.
Microbiology
As you have already gained the underlying principles of cell formation and functioning within the courses of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, you have now developed a solid knowledge base to study the microscopic organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, archaea, fungi and protozoa, dwelling in our organisms.
This course covers the essential aspects of microbiology and offers a detailed perspective into the complement system that helps the antibodies and phagocytic cells resist pathogens, thus healing our organism. Special attention would be given to the Immunoglobulins – their structure and function; antigen and antibody reactions and formation. Related topics covered within the scope of the course also include: cell-to-cell interactions; major histocompatibility complex overview; Immunization; Hypersensitivity States; Antibiotics; DNA virus replication strategies and more.
Pathology
Within the course of Pathology you will learn the fundamentals of making the right diagnoses through the examination of the body tissues, fluids and organs. This is the underlying course for further practical sciences you will learn during the consequent block of Clinical Sciences.
In 60+ video lectures you will go through the processes of regeneration and healing; learn about hemodynamic, immune and genetic disorders; develop a comprehensive understanding of infectious diseases, female and male reproductive systems and endocrine system functions among the other topics.
Pharmacology
Learn the science of understanding and prescribing the most effective drugs to cure each type of disease. The final course within Basic Sciences Curriculum will teach you how certain types of drugs interact with other components in our bodies and which results they can cause.
This course was developed on the base of a textbook by Michael Gordon, Ph.D. It consists of 41 Chapters covering all the essentials from Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics to more specific pharmacology practices related to certain types of drugs including Antidepressant, Autonomic, Antiparasitic Drugs among others. Each chapter is followed up by a series of self-assessment tests and questionaries’ you are highly encouraged to take. Don’t forget you have an exam session ahead of you before you could move to final level of your studies!