This course provides a clear and accessible introduction to biochemistry. Covering topics like proteins, enzymes, metabolism, and genetics, it guides you through life's molecular interactions in an engaging and easy-to-understand format.

Biochemistry For Dummies
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What you'll learn
Explain the structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules.
Analyze enzyme activity, metabolic pathways, and ATP's role in cellular energy production.
Describe DNA replication, RNA transcription, protein synthesis, and key applications of biochemistry.
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August 2026
20 assignments
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There are 19 modules in this course
This module introduces learners to the fundamental differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, their structures, and how these structures contribute to biochemical functions. It also provides an overview of animal cells, their organelles, and how they operate within a biological system. Learners will gain foundational knowledge essential for understanding more complex biochemical processes.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
2 readings•Total 9 minutes
- Introduction•4 minutes
- Animal Cells and How They Work•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 14 minutes
- Fundamentals of Cellular Structures and Functions•14 minutes
This module explores the fundamental properties of water, its role as a universal solvent, and the principles of pH, buffers, and acid-base equilibria. Learners will gain an understanding of how water interacts with different substances and how pH is measured and controlled in biological systems.
What's included
1 video4 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
4 readings•Total 22 minutes
- Introduction•6 minutes
- Water's most important biochemical role: The solvent•6 minutes
- Calculating pOH•6 minutes
- Buffers and pH Control•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Exploring Water's Role in Chemistry and pH Regulation•16 minutes
This module explores the fundamental concepts of organic chemistry, focusing on functional groups, isomerism, and bond strengths. Learners will gain an understanding of how carbon-based molecules interact and react, which is essential for grasping biochemical processes. The content prepares students to analyze molecular structures and their implications in biological systems.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
5 readings•Total 20 minutes
- Introduction•3 minutes
- When Forces Attract: Bond Strengths•5 minutes
- Getting a Reaction out of a Molecule: Functional Groups•3 minutes
- Reactions of functional groups•5 minutes
- Same Content, Different Structure: Isomerism•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Exploring Carbon-Based Molecules•16 minutes
This module explores the chemical structures, properties, and roles of amino acids in protein formation. Learners will gain an understanding of how amino acid characteristics influence protein behavior and function. The content also covers chiral centers, basic amino acids, and their pH-dependent reactivity.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
3 readings•Total 18 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Asymmetry: Chiral amino acids•5 minutes
- Basic amino acids•8 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Amino Acids and Protein Formation•16 minutes
This module explores the formation and structural organization of proteins, covering primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. It explains how amino acids link through peptide bonds and describes methods for analyzing and determining protein sequences. Learners will gain practical knowledge of biochemical techniques used in research and forensic applications.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
5 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Organizing the amino acids•5 minutes
- The beta-pleated sheet•4 minutes
- Quaternary Structure: A Structure Level Some Proteins Have•8 minutes
- Digging into the details: Uncovering a protein's amino acid sequence•8 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Protein Structure Fundamentals•16 minutes
This module delves into the fundamental principles of enzyme kinetics, including enzyme structure, reaction mechanisms, and their applications in medical diagnostics and treatment. It covers key concepts such as substrate specificity, catalytic activity, and the use of kinetic models to analyze enzyme behavior. Learners will gain a deeper understanding of how enzyme activity is measured and applied in real-world scenarios.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
6 readings•Total 30 minutes
- Introduction•6 minutes
- Taking it apart: Lyases•3 minutes
- All about Kinetics•6 minutes
- Realworld ENZYMES IN MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT•5 minutes
- Ideal applications•4 minutes
- Graphing kinetics data•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Enzyme Kinetics Fundamentals•16 minutes
This module delves into the chemistry and biological significance of carbohydrates, including their structures, classifications, and functions in energy storage and structural roles. Learners will gain a deep understanding of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides, as well as their relevance in human health and nutrition.
What's included
1 video4 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
4 readings•Total 20 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- A Sweet Topic: Monosaccharides•5 minutes
- The most common monosaccharides•4 minutes
- Starch and cellulose: Polysaccharides•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Carbohydrate Chemistry Fundamentals•16 minutes
This module explores the structure and function of lipids, including fatty acids, triglycerides, complex lipids, and steroids. It also examines how lipids contribute to membrane formation and cellular function, providing essential knowledge for understanding biological processes and health.
What's included
1 video5 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
5 readings•Total 26 minutes
- Introduction•4 minutes
- A Fatty Subject: Triglycerides•4 minutes
- No Simpletons Here: Complex Lipids•6 minutes
- Membranes: The Bipolar and the Bilayer•8 minutes
- Steroids: Pumping up•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Lipids and Membrane Dynamics•16 minutes
This module explores the structure and function of nucleic acids, including DNA and RNA, and how they contribute to genetic information transfer. Learners will gain an understanding of the molecular processes involved in replication and the formation of nucleotides. The content provides foundational knowledge essential for studying genetics and molecular biology.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
2 readings•Total 12 minutes
- Introduction•4 minutes
- Tracing the Process: From Nucleoside to Nucleotide to Nucleic Acid•8 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- The Building Blocks of Genetic Information•16 minutes
This module explores the essential role of vitamins in the human body, including their structure, function, and biological activity. It covers key vitamins such as B6, A, and D, and explains how they contribute to metabolism and overall health. Learners will gain a deeper understanding of nutrient classification and the importance of dietary intake.
What's included
1 video4 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
4 readings•Total 17 minutes
- Introduction•6 minutes
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)•4 minutes
- Vitamin A•3 minutes
- Vitamin D•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Vitamins: Key Roles and Nutritional Impacts•16 minutes
This module explores the role of hormones as chemical messengers in the body, covering their types, functions, and mechanisms of action. Learners will gain an understanding of how hormones regulate bodily processes through different signaling pathways and the importance of prohormones in hormone activation.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
3 readings•Total 15 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Now and Later: Prohormones•6 minutes
- Models of hormonal action•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Hormonal Signaling and Regulation•16 minutes
This module explores the fundamental processes of catabolism and anabolism, their roles in energy transfer, and the critical function of ATP in cellular metabolism. Learners will understand how energy is stored and utilized in biological systems and compare related biomolecules that contribute to cellular energy dynamics.
What's included
1 video2 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
2 readings•Total 10 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- It's Relative: Molecules Related to ATP•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Cellular Energy and Metabolic Processes•16 minutes
This module explores the fundamental biochemical processes involved in energy production and storage within living organisms. Learners will gain an understanding of how cells generate and utilize ATP through pathways like glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. It also covers the role of ATP in cellular energy transfer and the metabolic breakdown of various biomolecules.
What's included
1 video6 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
6 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Introduction•6 minutes
- Alcoholic fermentation: We'll drink to that•5 minutes
- Amino acids as energy sources•9 minutes
- Oxidative phosphorylation•6 minutes
- THE OTHER GUY•5 minutes
- Membrane lipids•4 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Energy Metabolism and Biochemical Processes•16 minutes
This module explores the vital role of nitrogen in biological systems, covering its involvement in amino acids, nucleic acids, and metabolic processes. Learners will gain an understanding of nitrogen's biochemical pathways, including synthesis, catabolism, and its connection to metabolic disorders. The content provides insights into how nitrogen is managed and eliminated in the body.
What's included
1 video3 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
3 readings•Total 15 minutes
- Introduction•4 minutes
- Pyrimidine Synthesis•5 minutes
- Process of Elimination: The Urea Cycle•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Nitrogen in Biological Systems•16 minutes
This module explores the fundamental processes of DNA replication, repair, and sequencing, along with the tools and techniques used in genetic research and forensic applications. Learners will gain an understanding of how DNA is copied, maintained, and analyzed for scientific and medical purposes. The module also covers real-world applications, including genetic disease identification and forensic analysis.
What's included
1 video7 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
7 readings•Total 36 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- DNA polymerases•6 minutes
- Mechanisms of DNA repair•6 minutes
- Restriction enzymes•3 minutes
- Patterns: Determining DNA Sequences•6 minutes
- The butler did it: Forensic applications•4 minutes
- Genetic Diseases and Other DNA Testing Applications•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- DNA Replication and Genetic Analysis•16 minutes
This module delves into the process of RNA transcription, comparing prokaryotic and eukaryotic mechanisms, and explores how gene regulation influences protein production. Learners will understand the role of RNA polymerase, the differences in transcription between cell types, and the importance of regulatory elements in gene expression.
What's included
1 video7 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
7 readings•Total 35 minutes
- Introduction•4 minutes
- Making RNA: The Basics•4 minutes
- Prokaryotic cells•5 minutes
- Eukaryotic cells•5 minutes
- Not a Secret Any Longer: The Genetic Code•5 minutes
- Models of Gene Regulation•5 minutes
- Regulation of eukaryotic genes•7 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- RNA Transcription Fundamentals•16 minutes
This module explores the process of translation in protein synthesis, covering the roles of mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and amino acid activation. It delves into the mechanisms of protein synthesis, including initiation, elongation, and termination, and examines the wobble hypothesis that explains tRNA-codon recognition.
What's included
1 video4 readings1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
4 readings•Total 22 minutes
- Introduction•5 minutes
- Carrying the ball: tRNA•5 minutes
- Hooking Up: Protein Synthesis•6 minutes
- The wobble hypothesis•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Translation and Genetic Code Flexibility•16 minutes
This module explores key biochemical applications and their transformative effects on healthcare and everyday life. Learners will gain an understanding of how biochemical tests and innovations impact diagnostics, genetic screening, and biotechnology. The content highlights real-world examples that demonstrate the societal and medical significance of biochemistry.
What's included
1 video1 reading1 assignment
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
1 reading•Total 6 minutes
- Ten Great Applications of Biochemistry - The Reading•6 minutes
1 assignment•Total 16 minutes
- Biochemical Innovations in Health and Disease•16 minutes
This module provides an overview of various career opportunities in biochemistry, focusing on how different educational levels influence professional roles. It highlights the impact of advances in biotechnology and forensic science on job prospects for biochemistry graduates. Learners will gain insight into the career paths available in both academic and industry settings.
What's included
1 video1 reading2 assignments
1 video•Total 1 minute
- Overview•1 minute
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
- Ten Biochemistry Careers - The Reading•5 minutes
2 assignments•Total 92 minutes
- The Biochemistry For Dummies Final Assessment•76 minutes
- Exploring Careers in Biochemistry•16 minutes
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