You will be able to creatively and successfully deal with open questions in biology relating to research and development of importance for society.
Approaches to dealing with open questions taught will include:
-
Review primary publications to establish a baseline of specialized knowledge
-
Identify and define missing knowledge
-
Rank missing knowledge according to relevance and importance criteria
-
Identify a methodology to address the key knowledge
-
Consult and discuss with others and with peers
-
Evaluate the feasibility and likely outcome of the methodology
-
Design the experiments and prepare your time-scheme of activity.
-
Conclude from the cycle(s) of creative thinking about the complex problem
Vaardigheden
-
Researching and reading of primary literature and databases.
-
Drawing and presentation of a poster in a group.
-
Writing of a small research proposal independently.
|
|
Delen van deze cursus worden in het Engels gegeven.
Ingangseisen
Basic knowledge of biochemistry and metabolism is required equal or comparable with the content of the Niveau 2 course Metabolisme taught within the biology curriculum at Utrecht University.
Studiepad
This course fits in a molecular and biochemical path.
Inhoud
Specialized, state of the art research of the bio-economy is the subject of this course. The period is split into two 5-week portions. The first portion deals with conversions to building blocks required for industry. The second portion deals with production of biomass required for the conversions.
You will carry out your own research on complex open problems actively researched in the Utrecht University and CBS laboratories of the teaching staff
guiding you. The problems you will be researching during the course in 2014 are as following:
Biomass conversion to building blocks for biobased industry. Prof. Dr. R.P. de Vries
- Better enzymes for degrading specific biomass types
- Improving enzyme production by manipulating fungal regulators
- Synergy between enzymes in plant polysaccharide degradation
- Correlating pre-treatment to enzyme cocktail efficiency
- Design of enzyme cocktails for de-polymerization of Azolla biomass.
At the end of the first 5 weeks, you will present your research in a poster presentation and discuss then evaluate the poster presentations of others in the class.
Sustainable production of reduced CO2 and N2 for biobased economy. Dr. H. Schluepmann
- Domestication of a CO2 and N2 fixing crop: Azolla. Control of reproduction and weediness.
- Domestication of a CO2 and N2 fixing crop: Azolla. Agrosystem/nursery design for optimum production.
- Pathways for lipid and wax production in Azolla
- Pathways for fertilizer and protein production in Azolla
- Control for carbon shunting into soluble phenolics in Azolla
- Carbohydrate content in the biomass of Azolla.
During the second five weeks your research and ministage at the laboratory will allow you to first generate a presentation within a group then use the presentation to write your own stage proposal on the problems listed above.
Werkvormen
Lectures, self- and group-study, poster presentation, a practical ministage, visit to an industrial plant of the biobased-economy and the writing of a stage proposal.
Toetsing
Evaluation of a poster (after 5 weeks) and a stage proposal (after 10 weeks).
|
 |
|