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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Getting started in cryo-EM by Caltech

4.9
stars
270 ratings

About the Course

This class covers the fundamental principles underlying cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) starting with the basic anatomy of electron microscopes, an introduction to Fourier transforms, and the principles of image formation. Building upon that foundation, the class then covers the sample preparation issues, data collection strategies, and basic image processing workflows for all 3 basic modalities of modern cryo-EM: tomography, single particle analysis, and 2-D crystallography. Philosophy: The course emphasizes concepts rather than mathematical details, taught through numerous drawings and example images. It is meant for anyone interested in the burgeoning fields of cryo-EM and 3-D EM, including cell biologists or molecular biologists without extensive training in mathematics or imaging physics and practicing electron microscopists who want to broaden their understanding of the field. The class is perfect as a primer for anyone who is about to be trained as a cryo-electron microscopist, or for anyone who needs an introduction to the field to be able to understand the literature or the talks and conversations they will hear at cryo-EM meetings. Pre-requisites: The recommended prerequisites are college-freshman-level math, physics, and biochemistry. Pace: There are 14.5 hours of lecture videos total separated into 40 individual “modules” lasting on average 20 minutes each. Each module has at the end a list of “concept check” questions you can use to test your knowledge of what was presented. As the modules are grouped into seven major subjects, one reasonable plan would be to go through one major subject each day. That would mean watching a couple hours of lecture and spending another hour or so thinking through the concept check questions each day for a week. Another reasonable plan would be to go through one module each day for a little over a month, or even three modules a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for a 3-month term. It is likely that as you then move on to actually begin using a cryo-EM or otherwise engage in the field, you will want to repeat certain modules....

Top reviews

LR

Feb 18, 2018

Great course. I thought it was presented in a very informative way and i learned a lot about cryo-EM. In fact, it made me want to learn more about it. Thank you.

G

Mar 27, 2018

There is a few free courses, this one of the best that I've taken. It would be better if one finishes the course, one could receive any certification

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1 - 25 of 52 Reviews for Getting started in cryo-EM

By Andrew L P

Aug 19, 2015

Just needs a certificate and some practice concept questsions added and would be perfect. Right now just really interesting videos for the intermediate mind...not much math...mostly concepts so good for the beginner who wants to know more. :)

By pavan k

Aug 14, 2015

I highly recommend this course to my Post Graduating Friends and Research Scholars. This course helped me so much in understanding EM operation which is not available any where else. It is helping me in current Thesis work. Professor of this Course is explaining in a lucid manner. Thank you very much Professor Grant Jensen. Thank you Coursera.

By Gerardo M H

Mar 27, 2018

There is a few free courses, this one of the best that I've taken. It would be better if one finishes the course, one could receive any certification

By Aleix L M

Jul 20, 2016

An excellent introduction to the topic, explaining from the basics to the detail of things. Useful and recommended to anyone in structural biology.

By Diego F P

Dec 15, 2019

Amazing course. The explanations are detailed, but very accessible. The course is very good at giving an intuition for the subject

By Nitisha M

Jun 15, 2020

It is great a course for all the information one need to have on Electron Microscopy from the basic knowledge to Cryo-Electron.

By Naďa L

Mar 22, 2019

Great course. Pity is that you don't give the certificate. Anyway, I'd like to thank to prof. Jensen for it.

By Saswat K M

Jul 17, 2021

Very informative. Got to learn a lot. Would be better, if provided as a certification course!

By Nikos N

Oct 30, 2017

CryoEM made crystal clear! ;P

By Gary U

Jun 19, 2016

An excellent course to get to understand the field of cryogenic Electron Microscopy. The mathematics are presented at a high level, often geometrically, without getting into details. The physics of the electron microscope is presented again at a high level but with enough detail to understand the operation. The teaching style is well paced and inviting.

By Chen S

Aug 16, 2015

It is amazing. I found it extremely helpful since I have just have an internship in a Cryo-EM lab. I found it difficult to understand these procedures without the knowledge of theory.So your course is just like a gift that exactly meets my need. I have told every friend of mine to see it. Thank you a lot for offering this magic course.

By William N

Aug 31, 2018

Loved it. Although it's not heavy on math it helps to have a basic understanding of waves, how they propagate, how they are mathematically represented by sin/cos functions and how interference between two waves works.

By Philip B P J

Aug 27, 2015

This course was outstanding. Every aspect of cyro-EM was covered in detail. The professor's delivery was excellent.

I would recommend this course to anyone who has a desire to expand their knowledge of the nano world

By Robert F

Apr 4, 2017

Great course with clear explanations and very entertaining topics! Didn't expect to cover so many aspects of cryo-EM, would recommend it to everyone interested/working in structural biology or science in general.

By Matteo G

Apr 14, 2022

I am about to start a PhD in Structural Biology and this course gave me really good ropes on how a a microscope is composed and how an image is formed. One of the best courses I have evere taken!

By Shijian Z

Nov 1, 2015

its really very helpful for me as a beginner. After learning the video, I kind of know what's going on when I got the training of TEM. Thanks a lot for the free video.

By Lance R

Feb 19, 2018

Great course. I thought it was presented in a very informative way and i learned a lot about cryo-EM. In fact, it made me want to learn more about it. Thank you.

By Serhiy S

Jan 26, 2017

I have worked a bit in cryo-em before and I find this course absolutely amazing! Very detailed and easy to understand.

By Bryant A

May 16, 2016

Very well detailed on a easy to learn pase. Will help you learn all to EM that is necessary before using them.

By Yulia R

Aug 28, 2015

Very clear, very easy to understand, a lot of useful information. Excellent course.

By Jean N

Dec 14, 2016

Thank you for this valuable course, specially for the Fourrier image explanation.

By Pablo C

Mar 7, 2016

Great explanations and examples, even for complex things like the fourier space.

By Evgeny B

Sep 7, 2021

I have enjoyed this course, helped me better undrerstand Cryo-EM field.

Thanks

By Jonathan F

May 18, 2017

Great course, very informal - really improved my knowledge in the field of EM

By Syed M O A

Nov 26, 2015

best course for lab workers ,physics is deal in a great detail