The Independent Activities Period (IAP) is a special four-week term at MIT that runs from the first week of January until the end of the month. We offer both credit and non-credit opportunities.
For Credit
7.102 -- Introduction to Molecular Biology Techniques
Building 68, Room 089
Level: U | 6 units (0-5-1) | Can be repeated for credit.
Instructors: Prof. Jackie Lees, Dr. Mandana Sassanfar
Prerequisites: None – Note that this course is not a substitute for 7.002 or 7.003
Gain essential wet lab skills in this highly interactive lab course and become well-prepared for a successful UROP experience.
This intensive “boot-camp” style lab course introduces students to basic research and teaches them many fundamental laboratory skills by providing hands-on instruction in basic molecular biology and microbiology techniques including sterile techniques, bacterial cultures, isolation and quantification of nucleic acid (DNA) and protein, agarose and SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis, PCR, gene cloning, spectroscopy, microscopy, ultracentrifugation, DNA sequence analysis, and curve fitting using python. Students will learn to grow bacteria, purify viruses that infect bacteria using advanced techniques such as ultracentrifugation and learn about electron microscopy. Emphasis will be on real-world application in preparation for a successful UROP experience. This lab course will also improve students troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
Priority will be given to freshmen with no prior research experience.
Participants are expected to spend every afternoon from 12:30 to 5:15pm in the lab. As in a real lab situation, some experiments will take longer than expected, or will need to be repeated for accuracy. Students will work in teams of 2 and should divide the work load equally. If you are in a sport team and need to leave earlier than 5:15 PM or arrive later than 12:30 on certain days you can coordinate your schedule accordingly and in consultation with the lab instructors and your lab mate.
Apply by December 7 by filling out this form and emailing it to Dr. Mandana Sassanfar. The class is limited to 16 students. No listeners. Applicants will receive confirmation of their registration status by December 12.
Non-Credit
Skills to Enhance Your Career
“The Curse of Knowledge: Why your expertise makes it harder for you to communicate”
Miro Kazakoff, MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management
Wednesday January 7th, 3-4:30pm, Luria Auditorium, KI, 76-156
Learn how the process of encoding and decoding introduces communication challenges; why experts are worse communicators in their domain than non-experts; what you can do to be a more effective communicator of graphs and data visualizations
“Data Discovery and Responsible Reuse for the Biosciences”
Sabrina Brown, MIT Libraries
Sadie Roosa, MIT Libraries
Wednesday January 14th, 4-5pm, 68-181
If you’ve ever wondered where or how to find data for your research or instruction, then this is the workshop for you! This session will offer tips for locating and evaluating data in data repositories, and steps you can take to ensure it can be reused.
“How to Talk with Science Deniers”
Lee McIntyre, Ph.D.
Research Fellow, Center for Philosophy and History of Science, Boston University; Senior Advisor for Public Trust in Science, Aspen Institute
Monday January 12th, 3-5pm, 68-181
Join award-winning author Lee McIntyre (Post-Truth, The Scientific Attitude) for an interactive workshop on the rise of modern science denial—why facts aren’t enough, and what scientists and science communicators can do to respond effectively while maintaining rigor.
“Communicating your science visually”
Sebastian Lourido, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Whitehead Institute, MIT Biology
Wednesday January 26th, 3-5pm, 32-141
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to use Adobe Illustrator and apply skills and tricks to present their research on slides, figures, or posters. With degrees in both science and art, Sebastian Lourido will equip participants with skills needed for illustrating their science and sharing it with the public. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop with Adobe Illustrator already installed.
“Smart Data Management for Biologists”
Sabrina Brown, MIT Libraries
Sadie Roosa, MIT Libraries
Wednesday January 21st, 4-5pm, Luria Auditorium, KI, 76-156
This hands-on workshop will equip biosciences researchers with essential tools and strategies for effective data management. Learn to increase the efficiency, organization, and quality of your work and avoid common data management mistakes throughout the research lifecycle.
“How to Write a Paper”
Stephanie Weldon, Ph.D.
Program Manager, Batista Lab, Ragon Institute
Thursday January 22, 3-5pm, 68-181
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blinking cursor in an otherwise empty Word document, this workshop may be for you. Learn tips and tricks for the whole manuscript lifecycle: drafting, editing, submitting, and responding to reviewers.
Finding the Right Path for You
“Preparing for a Career in Academia”
Ron Vale, PhD; Professor, MIT Biology; Former Executive Director of Janelia; Founder of iBiology, ASAPBio, and XBio
Join us for our interactive panel on diverse careers across academia, followed by a casual meet-and-greet! Hear firsthand from a staff scientist, group leader, and professors on the career opportunities in universities and charting
“Exploring R&D Careers in Biotech and Pharma”
Join us for a conversation with scientists who are using their graduate training to drive innovation at small biotech companies and big pharma. In a small group setting, ask these scientists how to find a job that fits, the scientific questions they think about, and what their day-to-day actually looks like.
“From Bench to Business: MIT Alumni Leading in Biotech”
Hear from MIT alumni who have charted their paths from graduate research to leadership at the forefront of the biotech industry, translating scientific training into impact on the business side of life sciences.
“Teaching with a PhD”
Curious about careers in education with a PhD? Join our panel of educators as they share their experiences in teaching, mentoring, and curriculum design across academic institutions. Learn firsthand about teaching-focused career paths and discover opportunities in higher education.
Cell Therapy & Signaling Frontiers
“Cell Therapy”
Join us for an interactive mini-symposium to hear from leaders in Cell Therapy! You’ll hear about basic science discovery, translational bottlenecks, and what the next cell therapy frontiers are. The first hour features short talks, and the second hour is an interactive session between the audience and the speakers.
“Rewiring Signaling”
Join us for an interactive mini- symposium to hear from leaders in Synthetic Biology for therapeutics! You’ll hear about the basic science of how we can rewire the signaling within our bodies, translational bottlenecks, and what the next frontiers for translational synthetic biology are. The first hour features short talks, and thesecond hour is an interactive session between the audience and the speakers.
Science and Society Seminar Series
This lecture series is designed to help educate and inform department members about the current and historical intersections of race, gender, and class with scientific research. Specifically, we are interested in exploring this area in terms of how scientific research is conducted, how choices are made about where research efforts and funds are directed, and who benefits from research. Attendance is required for first-year PhD students and is open to all in the biology community.
All talks organized by Hallie Dowling-Francisco, Community and Professional Support Specialist, and Brady Weissbourd, Yadira Soto-Feliciano, Alison Ringel and Mary Gehring
“Where Do We Go from Here? Science and Social Justice in a Changing World”
Dr. Oliver Rollins
Old Dominion Career Development Professor and Associate Professor of Science, Technology, and Society (STS), MIT
Tuesday, January 20th, 2-3:15pm, 68-181
“Awesome Science Needs All Scientists: What I’ve Learned Along My Scientific Journey and Why It Matters Now More Than Eve”
Dr. Mary Munson
Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biotechnology, UMass Chan Medical School
Wednesday. January 21st, 2-3:30 pm, Luria Auditorium, KI, 76-156
Python IAP Bootcamp
Course Information
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Session 1: Monday, January 26th
9:00am – 1:00pmRoom: 68-181 -
Session 2: Tuesday, January 27th9:00am – 1:00pmRoom: 68-180
Please note the room change for day 2.
Register now: https://libcal.mit.edu/calendar/events/carpentries4bio