During the course, lectures will be given to introduce various aspects of Plant Biotechnology. The first set of lectures outlines the techniques used in Plant Biotechnology, including recent developments such as gene editing, and in the second set, specific examples of application of these techniques and the effects on science and society are provided. Societal and ethical aspects of Plant Biotechnology are recurrent themes in the lectures, but also part of a dedicated, mandatory, work shop. During the course a plant biotech company will be visited, which will show how Plant Biotechnology is used commercially. Various laboratory techniques will be taught during hands-on practicals, covering all the steps from identification of a target gene to analysis of plants transformed to express the target gene. The practical will be supported by LabBuddy, providing an interactive learning environment. Throughout the course period, students will work on a group assignment focusing on a particular plant biotechnology case, which requires searching for and understanding of recent scientific literature. The results of this case study will be presented in an assignment report and an assignment presentation, at the end of the course.
