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Cell and Molecular Biology

By Prof. Vishal Trivedi   |   IIT Guwahati
Learners enrolled: 718
ABOUT THE COURSE:

An individual cell play crucial role in the biological activity of the organ. The coordinated action of different cells present within organ or different organ decide the final outcome in the organism. Biological processes are controlled by different types of molecules such as cell signaling, replication, transcription, protein expression and development. Understanding cellular structure, functions and co-ordination mechanism is important for understanding disease mechanism and designing therapeutic molecules. Apart from these aspects, molecular cell biology theory leads to the development of several diagnostic methods and recombinant DNA technology. The aim of this core course is to provide a detailed insight into the concepts of molecular biology and its mechanisms that control cell functions along with a sense of its complex regulatory mechanisms.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: Under graduate and post graduate students

INDUSTRY SUPPORT:
Summary
Course Status : Upcoming
Course Type : Core
Language for course content : English
Duration : 12 weeks
Category :
  • Biological Sciences & Bioengineering
Credit Points : 3
Level : Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date : 21 Jul 2025
End Date : 10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends : 28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends : 15 Aug 2025
Exam Date : 02 Nov 2025 IST
NCrF Level   : 4.5 — 8.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits



Course layout

Week 1: Origin of Life and Evolution
  • Origin of Life
  • Evolution (Part 1)
  • Evolution (Part 2)
Week 2: Cellular Structure
  • Structure of Prokaryotic Cell
  • Structure of Eukaryotic Cell
  • Cellular Fractionation
Week 3: Cellular Homeostasis
  • Cell Growth and regulation.
  • Mitosis and Meiosis
  • Apoptosis and Autophagy
Week 4: Cellular Transport
  • Transport in Prokaryotic Cells
  • Transport in Eukaryotic Cells (Part 1)
  • Transport in Eukaryotic Cells (Part 2)
Week 5: Cellular Communications
  • Cellular Communication (Part 1)
  • Cellular Communication (Part 2)
  • Cellular Communication (Part 3)
Week 6: Genetic Materials in cells
  • Organization of Prokaryotic Genome
  • Organization of Eukaryotic Genome
  • Genome Damage and repair Mechanism
Week 7: Concepts of Genetics (Part 1)
  • Law of Inheritance (Part 1)
  • Law of Inheritance (Part 2)
  • Epigenetics
Week 8: Concepts of Genetics (Part 2)
  • Genetic Recombination
  • Transgenic Organisms
  • Gene regulation in Organism
Week 9: Central Dogma of Molecular Biology (Part 1)
  • Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
  • Structure of DNA
  • Structure of RNA
Week 10: Central Dogma of Molecular Biology (Part 1)
  • Replication
  • Transcription
  • Translation
Week 11: Molecular Immunology
  • Components of Immunology
  • Antibody: Structure, Genetic Diversity and function
  • Vaccines
Week 12: Summary and Conclusions
  • Cell Factory: Concept and applications.
  • Gene Therapy
  • Summary and Conclusions

Books and references

Texts:
  1. B. Alberts, A. Johnson, J. Lewis, M. Raff, K. Roberts and P. Walter, Molecular Biology of Cell, 7th Ed., Garland Publishing, 2022.
  2. D. L. Nelson and M. M. Cox, Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry, 6th Ed., Macmillan Worth, 2012.
  3. H. Lodish, A. Berk, S. L. Zipursky, M. P. Scott and J. Darnell, Molecular Cell Biology, 9th Ed., W. H. Freeman & Co., 2021.
  4. B. Lewin, Genes XII, International Edition, Pearson Education, 2017.
  5. B. R. Glick and J. J. Pasternak, Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications of Recombinant DNA, 3rd Ed., ASM Press, 2003.
  6. R. M. Twyman, S. B. Primrose and R. W. Old, Principles of Gene Manipulation, Blackwell Science, 7th edition, 2006. 
  7. B. R. Glick and J.J. Pastemak, Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and applications of recombinant DNA, 4rth Ed., ASM Press, 2010.
  8. Jordanka Zlatanova, Kensal van Holde, Molecular Biology, (1st Ed), 2015.
  9. Nancy Craig, Rachel Green, Carol Greider, Gisela Storz, Cynthia Wolberger, and Orna Cohen-Fix Molecular Biology, Principles of Genome Function (2nd Ed), 2014.

Instructor bio

Prof. Vishal Trivedi

IIT Guwahati
Prof. Trivedi did his Ph.D. from Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow in the field of Structural Biology. From his postdoctoral research at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University and Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts University, Boston, USA, he gained extensive research experience in the field of cell biology, intracellular signal transduction, and immunology. Currently, his laboratory at Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering has an active group working and exploring questions related to malaria parasite biochemistry, the role of novel proteins, development of anti-malarial agents, and lastly understanding factors playing a crucial role in immunomodulation and host pathology in different organs

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.
The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).
Date and Time of Exams: November 02, 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.
Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.
The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.
Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup.It will have the logos of NPTEL and IIT Guwahati .It will be e-verifiable at nptel.ac.in/noc.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- NPTEL team


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