Wageningen University and Research Center

This course covers the process of bioinformatics data analysis and the interpretation of the results in a biological context. The following topics will be addressed in the course: command line usage; programming/scripting; current bioinformatics data analysis tools; and automated analysis pipelines. The first part of the course covers command line usage (linux), bioinformatics script programming (python), as well as the theory and tools required to analyze data produced by current sequencing technologies and interpret the results. Topics include genome assembly, sequence annotation, gene expression, biological networks, and comparative genomics. During the second part of the course, students - in teams - apply their knowledge in a small research project. Given a specific biological question and the required data, the goal is to build a data analysis pipeline and describe the biological interpretation. BIF20306 Introduction to Bioinformatics or SSB34306 Computational Biology and BIF21806 Practical Computing for Biologists or INF2306 Programming in Python required.

This course teaches the psychological processes that inform eating behavior, and the challenges in changing these behaviors. Receive a recent model to explain how many people can display eating behaviors that run counter to their intentions. This model is used to connect biological, sensory, consumer-level, and psychological processes to understand eating behavior. This course focuses in depth on the different psychological processes that explain differences in people’s eating behavior with a strong emphasis on automatic processes that steer behavior in the moment of food choice and eating, and how these contribute to current difficulties to behavior change. The course. focuses on the question of how people’s eating behavior can be changed by employing psychological insights and interventions, and how to deal with psychological resistance to change. Learn how these psychological insights can be applied and integrated in two distinct approaches to behavior change: ‘Nudging’ and ‘Boosting’. Learn to design strategies to change behavior and reflect on the applied and ethical implications of the two different approaches by literature self-studies, quiz learnings, and groupwork assignments. Basic knowledge of biology, psychology, nutrition and/or health sciences required. This course is part of the minor Psychobiology of Eating Behavior.

This course provides a broad overview of the field of bioinformatics, with a focus on practical application and interpretation of results from tools used in everyday biological research. Assumed Knowledge in MAT15403 Statistics 2.

This is a general nutrition course that addresses the relation between nutrition and human health and is primarily aimed at food technology students. The course addresses study design process, nutrient metabolism, micronutrients, and targeted nutrition. Basic knowledge on Nutrition (FCH11306 Nutritional Aspects of Foods) required.

This course covers the choice and application of univariate and multivariate statistical techniques and tests, for the interpretation of ecological field data. The choice of appropriate test is given attention in relation to the type of data under investigation. The necessary theoretical statistical background is expected to be present. The use of software (R, Excel, Ecological packages) for the analysis of field data is highlighted and exercised. Attention is paid to the sequence: hypothesis, choice of tests, interpretation of statistical results, and ecological meaning of outcome with respect to the hypothesis. Emphasis is placed on the use of data from plant-animal interactions and studies on individual plant or animal species.

This course is designed to advance conceptual and applied understanding of bottom-up approaches in sustainability governance. Students are offered theories and concepts to understand the emergence and persistence of unsustainable practices and are equipped to propose which elements of these practices should change to achieve more sustainable outcomes. This regards individual and household practices, as well as the degree to which actions, rules, norms and values applied by governments, international bodies and private rule-making authorities like NGOs and companies are equipped to shape everyday practices. Be introduced to theories and concepts that address the interaction between everyday practices, transformations, systemic change and governance. Students are expected to have basic knowledge about social science theories of the environment, e.g. those presented in Social-Scientific Analysis of Environmental Issues (ENP24803).

Within a theoretical and learning-by-doing context, this course focuses on solving problems in the field of wildlife ecology and conservation. The problem-based learning approach is based on the idea that it is an effective and durable way to develop into a professional. Lectures provide the needed theory, and assignments are offered to obtain hands on experience with quantitative data analyses. During these assignments, students use advanced methodologies and software (for example excel, R, and conservation planning programs) to address problems spanning a wide range of wildlife conservation issues such as threats to species, genetic analysis, population viability analysis, the role of protected areas, the human context to conservation, and ecosystem/landscape management and planning. Furthermore, students work in groups on a case study that allow them to address species conservation issues using advanced methodologies learned earlier during the course. A working experience with excel is required (ability to make graphs and perform basic calculations and statistics). Assumed Knowledge in PEN10503 Ecology I; PEN20503 Ecology II; WEC20803 Applied Animal Ecology.

This course covers the biology, agronomy, physiology, and ecology of seaweeds, in order to analyze cultivation, ecophysiology, and ecology in marine systems vs. terrestrial systems. Aspects that are relevant in this context are: limits and possibilities of seaweed production in relation to the physical environment (light, temperature, carbon); the importance of salinity for productivity and metabolism; ecological risks and environmental hazards; biodiversity, reproduction and breeding. Assumed Knowledge in PPH10306 Biology of Plants or comparable.