Frontiers in Biology

This course deals with the latest developments in Biology and covers a wide range of themes, including molecular, organismal and ecological subjects. Highlights in current biology will be addressed by inviting keynote speakers who are active in various biological disciplines. The course includes four small scale symposia. Each symposium is thematically covering one of the four specializations of the MSc Biology. Each symposium will be accompanied by two research papers, which the students are expected to read and summarize. Together with the content of the symposia, this provides a broad overview of topical research in the domains of biology. Next to attending lectures , students write a research proposal. This is an individual assignment; research proposals are written following a standard NWO (= Dutch research council) format. Students are closely supervised by staff members during individual feed-back sessions and tutorials.

• Select and use scientific literature to formulate a research question

• Write a research proposal according to a defined format around a biological research question

• Provide and process feedback on your own text and the text of others

• Understand the latest developments in modern biology as presented in lecture clusters that thematically relate to the current WUR MSc biology specialisations

• Summarise the core-message of a given scientific paper within the field of biology

• Assignment report (60%) Research proposal, rubric; Students with an insufficient grade for the report (i.e. lower than 5.5) can submit a revised version of the research proposal in consultation with the course coordinator and the supervisor in ResitB or the next year for evaluation in P3.
• Written test with open questions (40%) Written examination.
• Performance (%) In case of failing the feedback requirements, students should consult with the course coordinator and the supervisor to receive a feedback assignment that can be submitted in ResitB, or in P3.

BSc Biology or comparable knowledge.

• Scientific articles related to the symposia will be placed on BS.