100 Incredible Open Lectures for Biology Geeks

Posted by Site Administrator in Uncategorized Apr 21st, 2010

If your biology classes just don’t seem to give you all you need to fill your desire for learning more, then you just may be a biology geek. If this sounds like you, then you will love this listing of 100 open lectures on topics including the basics of biology, biological engineering, astrobiology, medicine, neuroscience, ecology, climate change, and more. The lectures are free, so go ahead and fulfill your desire to keep learning more about biology.

Biology Class Lectures

If you need a refresher course of the basic biology classes you took early on or are just starting out in your biology studies, these will provide you with plenty of knowledge.

1. Future of Biology. Robert Weinberg of MIT discusses the future of biology in this last lecture of his Introduction to Biology.
2. General Human Anatomy. Watch this interesting anatomy lecture given by popular Berkeley professor Marian Diamond.
3. General Biology I. Berkeley’s Richard Malkin sets the basis for learning about biology in these lectures.
4. General Biology Laboratory. After watching Malkin’s Biology I lectures, dive into these lab lectures.
5. General Biology II. When you are ready to move to the next level, listen to Mary Power’s lectures from Biology II.
6. Molecular Biology: Macromolecular Synthesis and Cellular Function. Qiang Zhou lectures on DNA, genome structures, RNA, and more in this class from Berkeley.
7. Molecular Biology 1. This lecture by Eric Lander highlights the basics of molecular biology.
8. Molecular Biology 2. Hear Eric Lander discuss how genetic material functions in this lecture from MIT.
9. Molecular Biology 3. Eric Lander wraps up his discussion of molecular biology in this lecture.
10. Mendelian Genetics. Graham Walker lectures on Mendelian genetics here.
11. Plant and Microbial Biology. Listen to several class lectures in this course from Berkeley.

Biological Engineering

If biological engineering is your field of interest, then you won’t want to miss out on these lectures.

12. Introduction to Biomedical Engineering. Professor Mark Saltzman from Yale delivers lectures on biomedical engineering in this series.
13. Introduction to Bioengineering. This course features video lectures from several professors at MIT.
14. Chemicals in the Environment: Toxicology and Public Health. Read these lecture notes and get a recommendation for a film to accompany this course that studies the relationship between environmental chemicals and human disease.
15. Systems Microbiology. Explore microbiology from a systems perspective in this series of lectures.
16. Laboratory Fundamentals in Biological Engineering. Watch slides and read lecture notes on “experimental biochemical and molecular techniques.”
17. Biological Engineering II: Instrumentation and Measurement. Watch tutorials from this MIT class that instructs students in how to use a lab AFM.
18. Foundations of Computational and Systems Biology. Read lecture notes from three MIT professors that cover a systematic analysis and modeling of such complex biological phenomena as genome sequencing and protein structure prediction.
19. Molecular Structure of Biological Materials. Learn about the basic molecular structure of biological materials in this series of lecture notes from an advanced biological engineering class.
20. Fields, Forces, and Flows in Biological Systems. Study the fields, forces, and flows using clinical examples with these lecture notes.
21. Cool Hands, Better Performance. Craig Heller, professor at Stanford, lectures on a technique developed by his lab that explores better sports performance through manipulation of body temperature.

Astrobiology

Study the early evolution of the Earth and its relationship to outer space with these lectures.

22. Blue Planet: Oceanography I. Edwin Schauble of UCLA provides the basics on this introductory lecture on oceanography.
23. The Big Bang. Seth Shostak discusses the Big Bang theory and how the theory describes Earth’s formation.
24. Replaying the Tape. Professor Lynn Rothschild takes students back in time to the possibility that all life was wiped out and what implications that would have for the future.
25. Part II: Asking the Wrong Questions. Anabel Ford discusses the Mayan culture and European misunderstanding of that culture as an example of how not to approach the problem of understanding early life in this lecture delivered to an astrobiological conference.
26. Habitability of the Hadean Earth. Stephen Mojzsis of the University of Colorado lectures on the surface of the Earth in its earliest form here.
27. ALH 84001 and Other Martian Meteorites. Dr. David McKay describes his work with meteors, focusing specifically on the ALH 84001 meteorite.
28. The Asteroid Challenge: Will We Be Ready?. This lecture features Rusty Schweickart discussing the issue of dealing with deflecting asteroids from Earth.
29. Controlled Environmental Life Support. Dr. Mark Kliss explains how those in space eat, dispose of waste, and even approach mobility issues.
30. Life Beyond Its Planet of Origin. The ability for life to survive beyond the Earth is the topic of this lecture given by Rocco Mancinelli.
31. Genomic Dark Matter: The Emergence of Small RNAs. Dr. Eric Devor talks about microRNA in this lecture from Stanford.

Medicine

Those biology students studying pre-med will be interested in these lectures about the field of medicine.

32. The Battle of the Diets: Is Anyone Winning (At Losing?). Dr. Christopher Gardener describes the results of his study that looked at the effectiveness of four popular diets in this lecture at Stanford.
33. Laurie Garrett on lessons from the 1918 flu. In 2007, Garrett discussed the avian flu, past pandemics, and speculated on what might happen if a flu pandemic occurs in the future.
34. The Mismeasure of Man. From Stanford Medical School, Dr. Ralph Horwitz discusses how society’s desire for measurable results can eclipse the complexities of medicine in a negative way.
35. New Perspectives on Menopausal Hormones and Heart Disease. Dr. Marcia Stefanick provides the results of an ongoing study at Stanford that demonstrates health risks of hormone replacement therapy that were previously overlooked.
36. Is Evidence-Based Medicine a Barrier to Cost-Effective Care?. Learn about what role evidence-based medicine should play in coverage decisions in this lecture from Dr. Alan Garber.
37. Social Entrepreneurship in Medical Care. This lecture from Harvard Business School professor Tarun Khanna explores the power entrepreneurs have to implement social changes in the medical field.
38. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases. Get an entire course of lectures on epidemiology and case studies of major infectious diseases from this Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health class.
39. Impact of Pandemic Influenza on Public Health. Watch this slide show lecture that examines the make-up of influenza, the differences between seasonal and pandemic influenzas, history and outbreaks, and prevention measures.
40. Dean Ornish on the world’s killer diet. Ornish talks about how the globalization of the American diet is creating a health hazard that is 95% preventable through diet and lifestyle changes.
41. Genomic Medicine. Listen to MIT Professor Isaac Samuel Kohane in these audio lectures that examine genomic technologies and computational approaches to diagnosing and treating patients.

Public Health

Watch these lectures from experts in the field of public health as they share their knowledge.

42. Culture, Politics, and Community: Living Public Health in Nigeria. Professor Bill Brieger explores tropical diseases in Nigeria and the social implications of the treatment of these diseases.
43. Marc Koska: 1.3m reasons to re-invent the syringe. Unsafe syringe reusage is what inspired Marc Koska to create a syringe that can only be used one time, which he discusses here.
44. Hans Rosling shows the best stats you’ve ever seen. Hans Rosling provides an entertaining lecture where he provides statistics of the developing world.
45. Sexual Health, HIV/STI, and Human Rights. Chris Beyrer lectures on sexual rights and human rights at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
46. Global Health Equity and the Future of Public Health. Explore the future of public health in this lecture given by Paul Farmer of Wellesley College.
47. Population Change and Public Health. Listen to the audio lecture while watching slides that examine population studies, the impact of population change on societies, reproductive health, and four programs and policies that address population change issues.
48. Global Health Crises and Child Survival. Watch as this panel of experts discusses growing health crises and the effects on children’s survival rates around the world in this lecture from the National Press Foundation.
49. Are New Directions Needed for Epidemiology Training Today?. Dr. Leon Gordis discusses his work in exploring the translation, or lack thereof, of scientific data into public policy.
50. Wheel Chair Design in Developing Countries. Watch these videos from a course at MIT that demonstrate how workshops in Africa manufacture wheelchairs that are specifically designed for the social and environmental needs of a particular region.
51. Ernest Madu on world-class health care. Based on his work at the Heart Institute of the Caribbean in Kingston, Jamaica, Dr. Madu lectures on how to offer quality health care in developing countries.

Neuroscience

For biology students interested in the human brain, these neuroscience lectures are for you.

52. Grey Matters: Conscious and Unconscious Memory Systems. Dr. Larry Squire talks about memory and memory problems here, including case studies.
53. Music and the Mind. Explore the connection between music and the brain in this lecture by Aniruddh Patel of the Neurosciences Institute.
54. How Social Behavior Changes the Brain. Stanford’s Dr. Russell Fernald discusses brain changes that occur based on social behavior.
55. Brain Structure and its Origins. Listen to these audio lectures given by Professor Gerald Schneider as he explores the limbic system, the hypothalamus, taste, auditory and visual systems, and more.
56. Neuroscience and Behavior. This MIT class features lectures by Gerald Schneider discussing the neural system and its functions.
57. Personal Identity, Neuroethics and the Human Brain. Michael S. Gazzaniga talks about neuroscience, ethics, and personal identity in this lecture at Dartmouth.
58. Grey Matters: Understanding Language. Explore how language is different from other animals’ forms of communication in this lecture from Professor Jeff Elman at UCSD.
59. Health Matters: Behavior and Our Brain. Terrence Sejnowski discusses what scientists have begun to understand about the ways the brain contributes to such attributes as what people like, how they behave, and what skills they have.
60. Animal Behavior. Listen to the audio lectures from this MIT class that examines adaptive behavior of animals and how it relates to humans.
61. Structural Plasticity in the Adult Brain. Elizabeth Gould lectures as part of the President’s Lecture Series at Princeton on how research on neurons can lead to solutions for brain illness or injury.

Ecology and Conservation

Explore ecosystems and conservation efforts going on around the world with these lectures.

62. Why So Many Species? The Factors Affecting Biodiversity. Professor Stephen Stearns discusses the importance of biodiversity to ecosystems.
63. Saving Georgia’s Dolphins. This lecture features the work of The Dolphin Project to save the bottlenose dolphins’ habitat and Georgia’s coastal ecosystem.
64. Gorilla Conservation and the Karisoke Center. Katie Fawcett discusses the current work being done at the Karisoke Center, the longest-running field research program in the world.
65. The Acoustic World of Whales. Learn about the effects of noise pollution on marine mammals in this lecture by Dr. Marsha Green, who studies humpback whales in Hawaii.
66. Vernal Pool Conservation. Aram Calhoun discusses conservation in forested wetlands and vernal pools in this lecture.
67. Study in Ecology: Decline of the Sugar Maples. Watch this lecture given by Richard Hallett to learn about the current decline of the sugar maples.
68. Sea Turtles as Sentinels of Ecological Health: Linking Sea to Shore. Sea turtles serve as the primary example of this lecture that examines the connection between the health of animals and the health of the ecosystem.
69. Frontline: Poisoned Waters. Watch this panel discussion on why the waters of two of the nation’s great coastal estuaries are in the sad condition they are after 30 years since the passage of the Clean Water Act.
70. Into Myanmar: A Tiger’s Eyeview. This lecture takes you into the tiger’s fight for survival in the country of Myanmar.
71. After the Hunting Stopped: Whales and Wildlife in the Auckland Islands. The Auckland Islands provide a unique opportunity to study an oceanic environment not affected by widespread human activity.
72. Coral Reefs in Danger. This lecture examines the state of coral reefs and how they could be entirely destroyed in the near future.
73. Water War: Georgia vs. Florida vs. Alabama. A water-rights battle has been waging for almost two decades in these three states. Learn why in this lecture.
74. David Helvarg: Fifty Ways to Save the Ocean. Watch this lecture to learn what Helvarg suggests communities can so to save the world’s oceans.
75. Ocean Exploration and Conservation. This lecture given by Gregory S Stone provides information on research and conservation efforts going on globally to save the oceans.
76. Dr. Wangari Maathai’s Unabridged Lecture at Concordia University, Sep. 28, 2009. Maathai, a world-renowned activist, talks about her vision of change that can take place in in respect to environmental conservation.
77. Natural History, Aesthetics, and Conservation. Drawing of the teachings of Charles Darwin and Immanuel Kant, Harry Green answers the question of why we should care about nature.

Sustainable Energy

If you would like to use your knowledge gleaned from your studies in biology to help create more sustainable energy, then check out these lectures.

78. The Culture of Green Transportation: BioDiesel Explained. Watch this lecture to learn about the way biodiesel fuel works in cars.
79. Hopeful Future: Alternative Energy and Transportation. Roger Saillant, CEO of PlugPower, talks about why America should be hopeful about the future of alternative energy.
80. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies in New England. This lecture explores what it might take to move toward a hydrogen economy in the New England area.
81. Learning from the Past: Sustainable Life with Renewable Energy. The Shakers had plenty to share with those of us today when it comes to renewable energy and sustainability.
82. Meeting Global Energy Demands Sustainably. From MIT, these two professors explore America’s dependency on fossil fuels and attitudes that are hindering progress.
83. New Technologies in a Sustainable Energy Economy. Dan Nocera and Angela Belcher discuss living fuel cells and other new energy technologies.
84. The Quest for Energy Independence: From Nixon to Reagan. Jay Hakes discusses information from his book about America’s movement towards energy independence in this lecture.
85. Sustainable Energy. Read through these lecture notes from a class at MIT that explores current and potential future energy sources.
86. Jay Hakes: Declaring Energy Independence. In another lecture from Jay Hakes, here he also discusses how America can reclaim energy independence.
87. Alternative Options: Where Will You Fuel Up in 2015?. With 2015 just around the corner, see what this panel discussion says about using alternative fuels for transportation in the near future.
88. Future of Driving: What Will Be on the Road in 2015?. Follow up that lecture with this one about cars powered by natural gas, all electric, and hydrogen fuel cells.
89. Energy, Environment, and Society. This class from MIT provides lecture notes discussing energy consumption, climate, and preparing students for public speaking on these issues.

Climate Change

Examine issues being discussed about climate change and its impact on the Earth with these lectures.

90. Assessing the Health of the Environment I. The first of a three-part series based on the 2005 report of the U.N. Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, here, Robert Watson discusses evidence of global warming with other scientists.
91. Assessing the Health of the Environment II. The second in this series shows Watson forecasting what the Earth would look like if current trends continue.
92. Assessing the Health of the Environment III. Wrapping up the series, this lecture explores changes in ecosystems and the effects of those changes on humanity.
93. Arctic Warming. This lecture is a result of photographer Jonathan Waterman being sent by National Geographic to the Arctic on assignment and Waterman’s shocking discovery.
94. Connecting Corals and Climate Change. Kim Cobb from Georgia Institute of Technology discusses corals and what they reflect on the issue of climate change.
95. London Climate Diet: Guide to Tackling Global Warming. Watch this lecture as Allan Jones describes proven, money-saving methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
96. Is Global Warming Impacting North Atlantic Right Whales?. This lecture examines how global warming is affecting the highly-endangered right whales and the impact this has on the rest of the global ecosystem.
97. Red Sky at Morning: Crisis of the Global Environment. James Speth, professor at Yale, examines data on global warming, why some initiatives have failed, and what may happen if the problem is not addressed.
98. Global Warming: Communicating Science Through Film. Listen in to this panel discussion that explores ways filmmakers can raise awareness and engage the public in reducing their impact on the environment.
99. Daniel Schrag: Geoengineering. Daniel Schrag discusses global warming, offers suggestions specifically for the Boston area, and discusses the practice of geoengineering to reverse the effects of global warming in this Harvard lecture.
100. Plan B 2.0. Lester Brown outlines solutions for problems such as oil and water shortages and climate change in this lecture.