Current Topics in Evolution

4 ECTS credits
100 u studietijd

Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 1022279BNR voor alle studenten in het 1e semester met een verdiepend bachelor niveau.

Semester

1e semester

Inschrijving onder examencontract

Niet mogelijk

Beoordelingsvoet

Beoordeling (0 tot 20)

2e zittijd mogelijk

Ja

Inschrijvingsvereisten

Studenten die dit opleidingsonderdeel opnemen, moeten geslaagd zijn voor 'Evolutie' en moeten ingeschreven of geslaagd zijn voor 'Biochemie'.

Onderwijstaal

Engels

Faculteit

Faculteit Wetenschappen en Bio-ingenieurswetensch.

Verantwoordelijke vakgroep

Biologie

Onderwijsteam

Kim Roelants (titularis)

Onderdelen en contacturen

0 contacturen Exam
20 contacturen Lecture
39 contacturen Self study

Inhoud

Fueled by the advent of molecular techniques during the past decades, evolution has become a core topic in biology, which now spans all levels of biological organization. As a result, molecular evolutionary studies have provided insights and applications in a diverse range of science fields, from paleontology to cancer research. By integrating theory with recent case studies, this course presents an overview of the state-of the art in evolutionary research and illustrates how evolutionary biology and related techniques are nowadays applied to address fascinating and challenging questions in biology. These questions relate to patterns of biodiversity in the history of Life (e.g., the KT faunal turnover), the origin of adaptive traits (e.g., physiological, morphological or behavioral), in vivo evidence for influential evolutionary debates (e.g., punctuated equilibria vs. gradualism, evolutionary contingency vs.  determinism), and the application of evolutionary analyses in unexpected science fields (e.g. developmental biology and cancer research).

Studiemateriaal

Digitaal cursusmateriaal (Vereist) : Pdfs of lecture slideshow, Kim Roelants, Canvas
Digitaal cursusmateriaal (Aanbevolen) : Scientific papers discussed during the lectures, Various authors, Provided by course lecturer upon request

Bijkomende info

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Current Topics in Evolution: slideshow (pdf provided on Canvas platform)
Digital course material (Recommended) : Current Topics in Evolution: cited papers (can be provided on request)

 

Leerresultaten

General Competencies

This course unit follows up on the course “Evolution” lectured in the 1^st Bachelor year, and prepares students for several course units of the Biology Master programme, including “Conservation Genetics”, “Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution”, “Origin of Life and Paleontological Evolution”. After following this course, students are expected to:

- be aware of current trends and developments in the field of evolutionary biology as well as the techniques used to engage in this research field. 

- understand how modern molecular techniques can be applied to gain evolutionary insights at all biological levels of organization and based on this, be capable to conceptualize a research strategy to engage in current an new topics in evolutionary biology and related disciplines.

- be capable to understand and critically evaluate any recent literature published on current hot topics in evolutionary biology, regarding the used methods and the conclusions derived from the results.

Beoordelingsinformatie

De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
Examen Schriftelijk bepaalt 100% van het eindcijfer

Binnen de categorie Examen Schriftelijk dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:

• Written exam met een wegingsfactor 1 en aldus 100% van het totale eindcijfer.
  
  Toelichting: Written exam (approx. 1.5 - 2 hours) composed of 5-6 questions that together combine open and closed questions and cover the four course chapters.

Aanvullende info mbt evaluatie

The digital course material provided on the online Canvas platform is sufficient to prepare the exam. No extra text books are required.

Note: Written exam (approx. 1.5 - 2 hours) composed of 5-6 questions that together combine open and closed questions and cover the four course chapters.

Toegestane onvoldoende

Kijk in het aanvullend OER van je faculteit na of een toegestane onvoldoende mogelijk is voor dit opleidingsonderdeel.

Academische context

Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Schakelprogramma Master of Science in de biologie: Standaard (ad hoc)