Postgraduates' Program

These courses are primarily meant for PhD students, but they are open for graduate students as well.

DEB theory DEBtox applications Theoretical Ecology Traineeships


Dynamic Energy Budgets

Total workload: 7 cp; Course leader: Bas Kooijman
Preliminary knowledge: course Theoretical Biology
Frequency: every other year
Work form: tele-course with weekly meeting of reporters and a symposium

Aim: A quantitative theory for processes of energy uptake and use by organisms is discussed on the basis of the DEB book. The focus is on the relationship between different levels of biological organisation (cells, organisms, populations), the role of modelling and statistics in practical biological research and the need of a mechanistic underpinning.

Software package DEBtool will be used to exercise the practical application of the DEB theory , and to study how parameters interact in quantities that are frequently measured, such as weights, respiration rates, chemical composition etc.

The course is splitted into two parts, an plenary elementary part on the fundamentals of DEB theory and three parallel parts on specialised topics (individuals-in-depth, populations/ecosystems and ecotoxicity). Between the two parts is an internation sympoium on DEb theory and its applications.

This is course S221 of Research School SENSE. Registration form and further details are given on the tele course pages of the DEB information page.


Traineeships for postgraduates

Departments' traineeships in the Postgraduates' Program are open for postgraduates who want to contribute to the research program on the DEB theory, or its applications. Before the start of the traineeship, a definition form has to be completed in collaboration with Bas Kooijman, that specifies


Go to the Theoretical Biology Education page