Coursera

Translating Basic Research into Research for Humans (Coursera)

Offered by University of Michigan,

The first phase of translational research — known as “T1” — is the process of moving foundational scientific discoveries into possible approaches for real-world health applications. This course focuses on innovations in basic science discovery, including drug discovery and repurposing and animal studies, that lead to new methods of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in highly controlled settings.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You’ll also discuss the role of the federal government to support and regulate translational research as it moves from basic science to human interventions.
This is the second course of five in the “Translational Science” series.
Course 2 of 5 in the Translational Science Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Welcome to Week 1 of Translating Basic Research into Research for Humans. This week you will learn how to 1) identify key differences between basic science research and clinical research, and 2) describe the role of animals in the research process.

WEEK 2
Welcome to Week 2 of Translating Basic Research into Research for Humans. This week you will learn how to 1) describe potential career paths for basic science researchers, 2) identify team roles for research conducted in the T1 stage of translational science, and 3) describe the types of career development awards available for translational research education.

WEEK 3
Welcome to Week 3 of Translating Basic Research into Research for Humans. This week you will learn how to 1) explain the process of translating the outcomes of basic science research into improvements in human health, and 2) explain how T1 research is associated with T2 and T3/T4 research.

Go to Class

MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Coursera

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Emergence of Life (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences

How did life emerge on Earth? How have life and Earth co-evolved through geological time? Is life elsewhere in the universe? Take a look through the 4-billion-year history of life on Earth through the lens of the modern Tree of Life. This course will evaluate the entire history of life on Earth within the context of our cutting-edge understanding of the Tree of Life. This includes the pioneering work of Professor Carl Woese on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus which revolutionized our understanding with a new "Tree of Life."

Nov 30th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Earth Biology Astrobiology

Coursera

LearnQuest

Capstone Project: Advanced AI for Drug Discovery (Coursera)

Computer Science

In this capstone project course, we'll compare genome sequences of COVID-19 mutations to identify potential areas a drug therapy can look to target. The first step in drug discovery involves identifying target subsequences of theirs genome to target. We'll start by comparing the genomes of virus mutations to look for similarities. Then, we'll perform PCA to cut down our number of dimensions and identify the most common features.

Nov 16th 2026

3 Weeks

Artificial Intelligence Machine Learning AI

Coursera

University of Geneva

Classical papers in molecular genetics (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences Health & Society

You have all heard about the DNA double helix and genes. Many of you know that mutations occur randomly, that the DNA sequence is read by successive groups of three bases (the codons), that many genes encode enzymes, and that gene expression can be regulated. These concepts were proposed on the basis of astute genetic experiments, as well as often on biochemical results. The original articles were these concepts appeared are however not frequently part of the normal curriculum of biologists, biochemists and medical students.

Nov 16th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Genetics Genes DNA

Coursera

American Museum of Natural History,Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Ecology: Ecosystem Dynamics and Conservation (Coursera)

Health & Society

This course is an introduction to ecology and ecosystem dynamics using a systems thinking lens. Through a case study on Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park, learners will explore how scientists study ecosystems, and investigate the complex array of factors that inform management efforts.

Nov 9th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Ecology Ecosystems Ecosystem Ecology

Coursera

University of Cape Town

Understanding Clinical Research: Behind the Statistics (Coursera)

Health & Society Statistics & Data Analysis

If you’ve ever skipped over`the results section of a medical paper because terms like “confidence interval” or “p-value” go over your head, then you’re in the right place. You may be a clinical practitioner reading research articles to keep up-to-date with developments in your field or a medical student wondering how to approach your own research. Greater confidence in understanding statistical analysis and the results can benefit both working professionals and those undertaking research themselves.

Nov 23rd 2026

5-12 Weeks

Health Statistics Clinical Research

Coursera

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Synapses, Neurons and Brains (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences Health & Society

These are very unique times for brain research. The aperitif for the course will thus highlight the present “brain-excitements” worldwide. You will then become intimately acquainted with the operational principles of neuronal “life-ware” (synapses, neurons and the networks that they form) and consequently, on how neurons behave as computational microchips and how they plastically and constantly change - a process that underlies learning and memory.

Nov 16th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Health Biology Brain

Coursera

Duke University

Introduction to Genetics and Evolution (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences

Introduction to Genetics and Evolution is a college-level class being offered simultaneously to new students at Duke University. The course gives interested people a very basic overview of some principles behind these very fundamental areas of biology. We often hear about new "genome sequences," commercial kits that can tell you about your ancestry (including pre-human) from your DNA or disease predispositions, debates about the truth of evolution, why animals behave the way they do, and how people found "genetic evidence for natural selection." This course provides the basic biology you need to understand all of these issues better, tries to clarify some misconceptions, and tries to prepare students for future, more advanced coursework in Biology (and especially evolutionary genetics). No prior coursework is assumed.

Nov 23rd 2026

5-12 Weeks

Science Biology Life

Coursera

Johns Hopkins University

Chemicals and Health (Coursera)

Health & Society Sci: Chemistry

This course covers chemicals in our environment and in our bodies and how they impact our health. It addresses policies and practices related to chemicals, particularly related to how they get into our bodies (exposures), what they do when they get there (toxicology), how we measure them (biomonitoring) and their impact on our health. Most examples are drawn from the US.

Nov 9th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Health Public Health Toxicology

Coursera

University of Geneva

Global Health: An Interdisciplinary Overview (Coursera)

Health & Society Medicine & Pharmacology

This course proposes an overview of current global health challenges drawing on the insights of several academic disciplines including medicine, public health, law, economics, social sciences and humanities. This interdisciplinary approach will guide the student into seven critical topics in global health.

Nov 9th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Medicine Health Healthcare

Coursera

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Big Data Science with the BD2K-LINCS Data Coordination and Integration Center (Coursera)

Health & Society Science

In this course we briefly introduce the DCIC and the various Centers that collect data for LINCS. We then cover metadata and how metadata is linked to ontologies. We then present data processing and normalization methods to clean and harmonize LINCS data. This follow discussions about how data is served as RESTful APIs. Most importantly, the course covers computational methods including: data clustering, gene-set enrichment analysis, interactive data visualization, and supervised learning. Finally, we introduce crowdsourcing/citizen-science projects where students can work together in teams to extract expression signatures from public databases and then query such collections of signatures against LINCS data for predicting small molecules as potential therapeutics.

Nov 16th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Network Analysis Big Data

Coursera

University of Chicago

Understanding the Brain: The Neurobiology of Everyday Life (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences Health & Society

Learn how the nervous system produces behavior, how we use our brain every day, and how neuroscience can explain the common problems afflicting people today. We will study functional human neuroanatomy and neuronal communication, and then use this information to understand how we perceive the outside world, move our bodies voluntarily, stay alive, and play well with others.

Nov 16th 2026

5-12 Weeks

Neuroscience Health Brain

Coursera

Tel Aviv University

Understanding Plants - Part I: What a Plant Knows (Coursera)

Sci: Biology & Life Sciences

For centuries we have collectively marveled at plant diversity and form—from Charles Darwin’s early fascination with stems and flowers to Seymour Krelborn’s distorted doting in Little Shop of Horrors. This course intends to present an intriguing and scientifically valid look at how plants themselves experience the world—from the colors they see to the sensations they feel. Highlighting the latest research in genetics and more, we will delve into the inner lives of plants and draw parallels with the human senses to reveal that we have much more in common with sunflowers and oak trees than we may realize.

Nov 23rd 2026

5-12 Weeks

Biology Genetics Photosynthesis