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Risk Communication in Toxicology (1.5 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
A chemical pollution or the introduction of a new technology are examples of situations in which risk communication can play an important role. It is often used with the purpose to inform people, to improve decision-making, to stimulate safer behaviour or to prevent or solve conflicts. Interactive communication and a responsive process are important aspects in generating trust among all those involved; understanding the other actors is a first step. In a classroom setting lectures will be given by various experts from the field. Special attention will be paid to the possibilities and limitations of risk communication in practice. Through assignments the participants will gain practical experience in risk communication.
Course leaders: Dr Henk Mulder (Groningen University) and Dr Mieke Lumens (Utrecht University)
Location: Instutute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University.
Date (frequency): October 2010, every other yearLink: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Epidemiology for Toxicologists (1.5 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
Aim of this module is to learn the basic principles of epidemiology and to understand the epidemiological line of reasoning. This course will help the participants to better understand epidemiological publications and the strengths and weaknesses of epidemiological research.
The contents of the course is a mix of theoretical concepts and practical issues and assignments. The course consists of interactive class sessions in which the tutor will present the course material. During the week several simple assignments will be made on an individual basis. The assignments will be discussed in class during the plenary sessions.Course leaders: Dr Roel Vermeulen and Dr Mieke Lumens.
Location: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University.
Date (frequency): November (every other year, in 2010)Link: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Ecotoxicology (3 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
The course covers the most important aspects of ecotoxicology. It is divided into two parts. It is possible to follow only one of these course parts (and to earn only 1.5 ECTS), for example when experience already exists on the subject of the other part. The first part focuses on environmental chemistry, including the fate of chemicals in the environment and uptake in organisms. In this way, the first part centers around issues determining exposure.
The second part of the course deals with effects and includes toxicological and ecological aspects of ecotoxicology. In this part of the course, focus will be on assessing effects on (life stages) of individual organisms of wildlife species in interaction with their changing environment, and their translation to effects at the population level. In this second part of the course, attention will also be paid to the role of ecotoxicology in policymaking. The lectures also will deal with standardized tests carried out in relation for environmental legislation as well as the possibilities and limitations of ecotoxicological monitoring and experimental research.Course leaders: Dr Joop Hermens (Utrecht University), Prof Tinka Murk (Wageninge University) and Dr Kees van Gestel (VU University Amsterdam).
Locations: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University (part 1) and Wageningen University (part 2).
Frequency: every other year in August
Date (frequency): August, every other year, first course in 2011
Link: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Risk Assessment in Toxicology (3 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
Toxicological risk assessment is the process of estimating the qualitative and quantitative health risks posed to man and the environment by the use of chemicals. The aim of this course is to familiarise participants with the general procedures followed during a toxicological risk assessment. Emphasis will be laid on the identification of hazards and risk posed to humans and the environment. Furthermore, attention will be paid to problems typical of various categories of chemical substances. The working format of the course is a mixture of self-study aided by lectures presented on CD-ROM, classroom lectures and tutorials and computer-aided practicals.
The course consists of lectures and tutorials during which the consecutive steps of a risk assessment will be dealt with.
A number of the lectures are available on CD-ROM and are meant for self-study, in advance of the classroom meetings. Subjects included are the various toxicity tests, their endpoints and hierarchy, critical effects and uncertainty factors, and the calculation of health-based guidance values. Specific problems created by carcinogens and other types of chemicals will be treated.
During the classroom meetings, a number of specific groups of chemicals and practical situations will be dealt with, such as medicines, industrial chemicals, household chemicals, crop protection agents and food additives. Here too, health effects for humans as well as for the environment will be treated. Participants will handle and present a specific case study.Course leader: Prof Bas Blaauboer.
Location: Wageningen University.
Date (frequency): October (once a year)Link: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Medical, Forensic and Regulatory Toxicology (3 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
The aim of the course is to introduce participants to medical, forensic, and regulatory toxicology. The course will focus on the recognition and treatment of intoxications. Much attention will be paid to the daily practice of medical and forensic toxicology. Basic skills for expert witnesses giving evidence in court will be learned.
Most if not all toxicologists will touch upon regulatory issues sooner or later in their career. Basic knowledge of legal principles in common law is, therefore, essential for toxicology registrars. Knowledge on laws pertaining to pharmaceuticals and other chemicals should be acquired.Many aspects of human intoxications will be dealt with during a series of lectures, demonstrations and tutorials. The main themes of the course are: acute and chronic intoxications, incidents caused by the release of toxic agents, forensic and regulatory toxicology.The course will extensively cover the specific diagnosis and treatment of acutely or chronically intoxicated patients. In view of the nature of the discipline, much attention will be paid to proper organization, communication and management of incidents caused by the release of toxic agents, and furnishing the information for organizations and individuals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of groups of persons/patients, who have been exposed to toxic agents. In this framework, aspects of terrorist attacks and the role of a Poisons Information Centre will also be dealt with.
Forensic toxicology involves toxicological studies in connection with (preliminary) legal investigations. These studies are carried out to clarify whether individuals have been intoxicated with certain substances and whether this can explain e.g. death or effects on driving or behavior. All this is aimed to explore whether a crime has taken place and answering the questions ‘how’ and ‘by whom’. The possible cause(s) of the intoxication needs to be evaluated and proven. This requires good communication and cooperation between forensic toxicologists, medical/clinical toxicologists, municipal coroners, forensic pathologists, public prosecutors and lawyers.
Course leader: Prof Jan Meulenbelt
Location: Utrecht University
fequency: yearly (November)Date (frequency): November (once a year)
Link: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Toxicogenomics (1.5 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
In this course an introduction will be provided on genomics technologies, i.e. gene expression profiling by microarray technologies, focussing on its application in toxicology.
Participants will be familiarized with the theoretical and practical background of toxicogenomics. Through lectures in the mornings, knowledge will be provided about the basic principles of gene expression profiling by DNA microarrays, its technologies, the main approaches for statistical analyses and visualisation of microarray data, and its application in toxicology. In the afternoon, practical experience with the main data analyses approaches and applications will be provided by computer trainings and a discussion group meeting.Course leader: Dr Joost van Delft.
Location: Maastricht University.
Date (frequency): February/March (once a year)
Link: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Food Toxicology (1.5 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
This postgraduate course will deal with the (potential) toxicity of toxic substances present in traditional and novel foods and their safety assessment. Special emphasis will be given to novel scientific developments in the field of natural toxins, genetically modified food, food supplements, food sensitivity and allergy, drinking water, products derived from food processing, agricultural chemicals, microbiological food safety, persistent organic pollutants, engineered nanomaterials, food additives and veterinary drugs.
Course leader: Prof Ivonne Rietjens and Prof Aalt BastLocation: Wageningen University
Date (frequency): May, every other year (next course in 2011)
Link: http://www.toxcourses.nl/
Contact: bas.blaauboer@wur.nl
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Interpretation of Animal Stress Responses (4 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
The objective of the course is to offer a solid background of the theory and research in stress biology, via lectures by leading researchers within the field, central literature, group work and practical exercises/demonstrations, providing an update of the link between stress, physiology and behaviour, focusing on the function of the whole animal.
Date (frequency): January 10th – 14th 2011
Link: http://www.snak.biology.sdu.dk/
Contact: Mette Herskin (MetteS.Herskin@agrsci.dk)
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Air Pollution – Science and Management (5 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): July 2010
Objective: to provide the students a general introduction to the physical and chemical processes governing air pollution loads and levels in the ambient environment. Give a basic understanding of the applied measuring techniques and mathematical models used in research and management of air quality and its effects on health and environment.
Course leader: Ole Hertel
Date (frequency): 13 – 17 September 2010 (Once a year)
Please provide URL for this course: http://gess.ruc.dk/Lists/Calendar/DispForm.aspx?ID=15&Source=http%3A%2F%2Fgess.ruc.dk%2Fdefault.aspx
Contact: Ole.Hertel@ruc.dk
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Genetics and physiology of food-associated micro-organisms (0.8 ECTS)
Last validity check (done yearly): June 2010
This bi-annual course is organised by Prof. Tjakko Abee from the Laboratory of Food Microbiology of Wageningen University. The next edition will be held from Monday 22 – Wednesday 24 November 2010 in Wageningen, the Netherlands. The course will be mainly composed of lectures with ample opportunity for discussions. This advanced course aims to develop expertise in the genetics, ecology and physiology of food-associated micro-organisms, in particular with respect to their reactions to a variety of stresses that can be imposed deliberately on micro-organisms during food processing, by food preservation techniques, during distribution and storage, and in the human GI-tract. Various genome sequences of food-associated micro-organisms have become available more recently, and the implementation of (functional) genomics will be discussed in several lectures. Moreover, special attention will be given to metagenomics, systems biology and microbe-host interactomics.
Persons interested in this advanced course should have a graduate level in life sciences or a comparable background. The course may attract microbiologists, biochemists, process engineers, food scientists, and biotechnologists.Date (frequency): 22-24 Nov 2010 (Bi -annual)
Link: http://www.vlaggraduateschool.nl/courses/physiol.htm
Contact: chantal.doeswijk@wur.nl