Top content

Master module Behavioral Biology

In the Master's module, our focus is on the application of animal models in biomedical research, the recording of stress and strain, the neuroscientific basis of affective disorders as well as gene-environment interactions and epigenetics.In the seminar of the Master's module, technical and methodological-theoretical knowledge is deepened in the form of literature research, a presentation and scientific discussions.In the exercises, we work with the laboratory mouse as model organism and examine different housing conditions. In doing so, we create a link between classical behavioural tests and biomedical research at the molecular level, so that we can make statements about the behaviour itself as well as about neurobiological correlates of the behaviour.

From the module description:

In the master module Behavioral Biology, students expand and deepen their scientific and methodological competencies. They will be able to plan extensive series of laboratory experiments on selected special topics in behavioral biology, conduct the experiments independently, record and evaluate the results and present them in writing. In doing so, they learn to consider the relevant literature of the respective topic area. They train to understand and give presentations and to critically reflect on original scientific literature. They learn to summarize and present their own scientific results.

Lecture: Animal models in biomedical research, assessment of stress, neuroscientific basis of affective disorders, gene-environment interactions and epigenetics.

Seminar: With the help of self-researched review articles and primary literature, in-depth technical and methodological-theoretical knowledge from different behavioral biology subfields will be developed and presented.

Exercises: Selected experiments from different areas of biomedical research with animal models, characterization of behavioral, endocrinological and molecular endophenotypes.