Applied Molecular Biology Lab (7.003)
MIT's laboratory course in experimental molecular biology, genetics, and cell biology, built around the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (budding yeast). Most class time is spent at the bench practicing core techniques such as yeast culturing, genetic crosses, and molecular cloning, with an emphasis on understanding why each protocol works and what scientific questions it can answer. Coursework builds toward designing an independent experiment by the end of the semester. Materials on MIT OpenCourseWare include lecture notes, lab protocols, and assignments used in the actual MIT class. No certificate is offered through OCW, and there is no cost to access any of the materials. Suited to students who already have some biology background and want hands-on grounding in real lab technique rather than lecture-only instruction.