Overview

The ‘Cell Biology for Educators and Enthusiasts‘ course provides an insight into the world of cells, exploring the processes that sustain living organisms at the microscopic scale. Through a series of pre-recorded lectures, the course demonstrates how advanced imaging and molecular techniques reveal the structure, diversity and dynamics of cells. The course is complemented by teaching resources and provides practical tools to help teachers bring these complex concepts into the classroom in an engaging and accessible way.

This free online course will run from 3 November to 14 December 2025. Participants can join at any time and progress through the course material at their convenience. No live or Q&A sessions are intended. Upon completion, participants can earn a certificate of attendance by completing a short feedback questionnaire.

Dates                         Duration                    Weekly study                Format

3 Nov – 14 Dec              6 weeks                        2 hours                        100% online  

Please note: This course includes content from the previous EMBL virtual LearningLAB “The cellular basis of life: current insights and tools for teaching” which took place in 2022.

Who is this course for?
This course is designed for formal and informal educators, including teacher trainers and educators in training. It is also suitable for science professionals and anyone interested in learning more about cell biology.

Learning format

The course content will be available online from 3 October to 14 December 2025 and is divided into two sections tailored to your level of understanding and interest.

1. Explore cell biology section includes pre-recorded lectures on the latest imaging techniques employed at EMBL and the current advancements in the field, a recorded Zoom Q&A session with the speaker and an additional collection of scientific resources on the topic.
2. Teach cell biology section offers an EMBL collection of resources and an additional collection of teaching resources suitable for the classroom.

The course workload is designed around ‘recommended‘ content, including pre-recorded lectures and pedagogical materials. The time commitment may vary depending on your interests and engagement with the materials.

No live or Q&A sessions are intended throughout this course, but a Chat function allows you to connect with fellow course participants.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Deepen and expand your understanding of cell biology.
• Learn how modern imaging techniques help scientists study cells in detail.
• Explore how scientific studies and experiments reveal the organisation, behaviour and functions of cells and their organelles.
• Expand your teaching toolbox with comprehensive materials on cell biology

Course registration

Please register for the course any day by 14 December 2025 and explore the content we have in store for you. Click on the “Register here” button below or the “Apply” button in the sidebar to register for the course taking place on the EMBL eLearning platform eCampus. Once you submit the form, a course link will become available and be sent to your inbox.

If you’re already an eCampus user, the course link will take you directly to the course, where you can enrol.

If you’re not yet registered on eCampus, please review the EMBL GDPR and follow the steps to create a new account. After your account is set up, go to the eCampus Home tab, where the Cell Biology for Educators and Enthusiasts course will be listed at the top. You can then enter the course from there and explore the content at your own pace until 14 December 2025 at midnight. If you have any problems logging in, please contact teodora.dobreva@embl.de every working day between 9 am and 5 pm CET.

Organiser

This training course is organised by EMBL’s Science Education and Public Engagement office in partnership with Merck.

EMBL Science Education and Public Engagement
EMBL’s Science Education and Public Engagement office shares the scientific discoveries of EMBL with young people, teachers and the diverse public in Europe and beyond. Our education programmes convey complex, cutting-edge topics in life science research in an exciting and insightful way, fostering the discovery of current research trends, the scientific method, and scientific career paths. Our teacher training courses empower educators to bring modern life sciences into the classroom. Visit our website for further information about our activities.

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 64,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2022, Merck generated sales of € 22.2 billion in 66 countries.