Biochemistry: From Molecules to Medicine
Get ready to immerse yourself in the molecular world with this online biochemistry course. Explore the fundamental principles governing the interactions of molecules and delve into the intricate mechanisms that drive cellular processes. Discover how biochemistry shapes our understanding of health, disease, and the development of groundbreaking treatments. Unleash your scientific curiosity and unlock the secrets of life itself.
Program Dates
Choose the course length that works for you: Multi-length courses available throughout the year
Eligibility
For students ages 13 and up
Individual Course Fees
$1,795
Explore the World of Cells and Molecules
The Energy of Life: Mastering Metabolic Processes
Dive into the fundamentals of metabolism and energy transfer within living organisms. Learn about enzyme function, metabolic regulation, and the key processes that drive life.
Cellular Energy and Catabolism
Delve into the intricacies of catabolic pathways and their role in energy production. Discover how cells break down molecules, extract energy, and convert it into usable forms for essential life functions.
The Cellular City: Exploring Organelles and Membranes
Explore the world of cellular architecture, focusing on the roles of organelles and membranes. Learn how these structures function and contribute to maintaining a healthy cell.
Understanding Cell-Specific Metabolism
Discover the metabolic demands of different cell types, such as hepatocytes, myocytes, and adipocytes. Understand how these specialized cells adapt their metabolic processes to support their diverse functions in the body.
How Cells Talk: Exploring Signaling Pathways
Dive into the world of cell signaling and explore how cells communicate and coordinate actions. Discover the mechanisms behind signal transduction, amplification, and regulation, and understand their roles in health and disease.
The Architecture of Life
Investigate the intricacies of protein structure and function, focusing on amino acid sequences and protein folding. Learn how these factors determine the diverse roles of proteins in essential life processes.
How You Will Benefit
- Gain a solid understanding of the core principles of biochemistry, from molecular interactions to cellular processes.
- Explore the interplay between chemistry and biology, and how molecular behavior shapes life itself.
- Delve into the ways molecular dysfunction contributes to human diseases, paving the way for future treatments.
- Learn how biochemical knowledge translates into clinical applications and real-world health care solutions.
- Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills applicable to various scientific disciplines by completing multiple courses.
- Earn a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Medical School for each course, an addition to your college applications.
Three Learning Advantages Designed for You
College-Level Content
- The program grants you access to college-level material, quizzes, and other engaging content designed by doctors, scientists, and professors from Harvard Medical School — the perfect fit if you envision a future in medicine or STEM.
- This content is similar to the courses that incoming students at Harvard Medical School take, including those pursuing medical, dental, and immunology graduate programs. They are designed to help prepare students for the challenging curriculum ahead.
Mentoring
Gain support from an expert mentor who’ll help answer questions and enrich your experience. Here’s what to expect:
- Guidance in your course’s particular medical science field.
- Encouragement and direction throughout the course.
- Inspiration, motivation, and confidence to help you succeed.
Flexible Learning
- 100% online learning that works with your schedule.
- Enjoy flexible, engaging video lessons that you can watch whenever it’s convenient for you.
- Multiple medical science courses can be taken to maximize your learning experience.
- Approximately 30 hours of total instruction and activities per course, including multimedia, simulations, and curated quizzes and content.
Apply Now for the Next Available Course
Taught by HMS Faculty
Kevin S. Bonham, PhD
Lecturer in Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School (former)
Bonham has taught courses on immunology, virology, infectious disease, and experimental design. He started at the University of California San Diego, where he majored in biochemistry and cell biology, before coming to Harvard for his PhD in immunology.
Ole-Petter Hamnvik, MB BCh BAO, MMSc
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Hamnvik is also an endocrinologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, where he specializes in treating patients with hormonal disorders, particularly diabetes and thyroid disease. Additionally, he holds the positions of assistant program director for the internal medicine residency program and program director of the endocrinology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Meet Your Mentors
Throughout your Pre-College HMX Program experience, you can expect to receive guidance and support from a mentor who is well-versed in your course’s medical science subject. They’ll reach out to you regularly through the online Canvas inbox as you make your way through the program, help keep you on track to receive your Certificate of Completion, and are available to answer your course-related questions. Their purpose is to motivate, encourage, and inspire you with the confidence needed to succeed academically in the program. Learn more about your course mentors below.
Grace
Holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health as well as a Pre-Medical Post-Baccalaureate and Master of Public Health. Grace is currently working towards a Master of Business Administration and is conducting medical research at the nation’s top-ranked children’s hospital. As a science educator, Grace is passionate about making complex topics approachable and engaging and looks forward to helping students understand how classroom concepts connect to real-world health care and medical research.
Fadi
Holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Biology as well as a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Also completed post-doctoral training in Biochemistry. Fadi is currently an mRNA Scientist at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute, working on the development of mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases. Fadi is heavily involved in the teaching and mentorship of young scientists, and is dedicated to answering questions about biochemistry to advance our understanding of the immune system and develop new treatments for infectious diseases.
How To Apply:
It’s easy. No transcripts or letters of recommendation are required. Just provide some basic information and tell us why you wish to take this program.
Note: Please submit all application materials in English.
Begin the guided application process. It should take only a few minutes of your time to answer the questions.
Want to Know More?
Sign up for more information and we’ll be in touch.
Admissions
Our application process is easy. You can expect a prompt decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will you be graded? How much time do you have to turn around a project? When do you find out if you're accepted? Find answers to your questions here.
Scholarships
We offer need-based scholarships for participating students who exhibit high potential and an inability to pay the full tuition.
- If you haven’t applied to the program, apply here. After submitting your application, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” on the confirmation page to request a scholarship.
- If you’ve already applied to the program, sign in to your profile to check your scholarship status. If we don’t have a scholarship request on file, click “Apply for a need-based scholarship” to request a scholarship.
