Courses
Modern behavioural biology is an interdisciplinary and integrative discipline of biology, which is also reflected in the content of our courses. Students should be made aware of the fascination for organismic approaches and their relevance, e.g. for biomedical research. Furthermore, the focus should be on complex interrelationships, such as the control of behaviour by molecular genetic and neuroendocrine mechanisms. In addition, the methodological approach should be taught to be able to work on scientific questions at the proximate and ultimate level.
The following list contains an overview of the courses offered by the Division of Behavioural Biology. For further information, please find the binding module descriptions here.
You can also use our online module catalog to search all biology modules.
From the module catalog:
Students should acquire basic interdisciplinary scientific knowledge. They acquire basic knowledge of selected biological systems, in particular neurobiological, endocrinological and behavioral fundamentals as well as the neuronal and hormonal control of behavior. They recognize general interdisciplinary basic principles which they can transfer to new situations. On the basis of experimentally collected data, students gain an understanding of the careful scientific analysis, evaluation and graphical representation of measurement data.
LECTURE: Introduction to the basics of neuroanatomy and cellular neurobiology, chemical signals, endocrinology, the immune system as well as behavioral biology and behavior control.
EXERCISES: Exercises on the topics of the lecture, e.g. microscopic analysis of various neuronal and glial cells, video-based analysis of behavior, reaction time measurements, physiological experiments.
From the module catalog:
Students should acquire basic interdisciplinary scientific knowledge. They acquire
in-depth basic knowledge of selected genetic, neurobiological, immunological and
behavioral systems, the neuronal control of behavior and neuro-immune interactions
in behavioral control. They recognize general interdisciplinary basic principles that they can transfer to new
issues. On the basis of experimentally collected data, students
gain an understanding of the careful scientific analysis, evaluation and graphic presentation as well as the
written recording of measurement data.
LECTURE: Introduction to the basics of neurophysiology and molecular neurobiology,
gene regulation, genetic functional analyses, the generation of transgenic animal models,
behavioral development, learning and behavioral immunology.
EXERCISES: Exercises on the topics of the lecture, e.g. in silico exercises on electrophysiology using the example of the
sciatic nerve, learning experiments, taste test, PCR, restriction analysis, mutants, classical genetic experiments.
From the module catalog:
Students acquire in-depth knowledge of animal behavior and the behavioral biology
methods for recording animal welfare. In practical exercises, they learn basic methods
of quantifying behavior and behavioral endocrinology.
Contents
SEMINAR: Husbandry of animals in human hands, husbandry systems for laboratory animals and farm animals, legal
principles, animal welfare concepts, behavioral and physiological parameters for the objective determination
of animal welfare.
EXERCISES: Creation of an ethogram, data collection using questionnaires, application of preference tests,
statistical data analysis, comparison of different housing systems for animals using practical examples.
From the module catalog:
Students acquire in-depth knowledge of the interaction between the immune system and the nervous system
and its effects on behavior. In practical exercises, they learn basic methods of
behavioral neuroimmunology.
Contents
SEMINAR: Stress response, immune response, communication pathways between the immune and nervous systems, "Sickness
Behavior", immunological influences on behavior and mental health.
EXERCISES: Basic methods of behavioral neuroimmunology, e.g. flow cytometric analysis
of different immune cell types, stimulation assays, expression analysis, immunohistochemistry, methods for
assessment of "sickness behavior".
From the module catalog:
Students should acquire advanced scientific skills. They acquire in-depth
knowledge of selected topics in behavioral biology - focal points: Physiological and
neuroendocrine mechanisms of behavioral control, evolution and ecology of behavior (see contents).
They can transfer this knowledge to new situations and derive conclusions. They apply their
theoretical knowledge to self-developed behavioral biology questions and use
more sophisticated working methods and concepts. They learn independent scientific work in
small groups (including careful data analysis, recording, statistical evaluation, presentation and
critical discussion of the results).
Contents
LECTURE: Introduction to the mechanistic principles of behaviour (e.g. in the context of reproductive
and stress physiology), behaviour from an evolutionary and ecological perspective (e.g.
selection mechanisms, cooperation, social organization and mating systems).
SEMINAR: With the help of review articles and primary literature, in-depth technical and methodological
theoretical knowledge of the topics covered in the lecture will be acquired. The selected
publications introduce the methods and topics of the planned exercises. This should give students
the opportunity to develop their own small scientific projects for the exercises.
EXERCISES: Implementation of a scientific project in small groups on a selected topic,
which has been prepared thematically in the seminar and lecture (including development of the study design,
formulation of hypotheses to be tested, selection and application of the methodology).
More information on the extension module Behavioral Biology 1
From the module catalog:
Students expand and deepen their scientific and methodological skills. They are able to plan extensive laboratory experiments on selected special topics in behavioral biology, carry out the experiments independently, record and evaluate the results and present them in writing. In doing so, they learn to take into account the relevant literature in the respective subject area. They practise understanding and giving presentations in English as well as critically reflecting on original scientific literature in English. You will learn to summarize and present your own scientific findings in the form of an English-language presentation.
LECTURE: Animal models in biomedical research, assessment of stress and strain, neuroscientific foundations 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 areas of behavioral biology will be developed and presented in an English-language presentation.
EXERCISES: Selected experiments from different areas of biomedical research with animal models, characterization of behavioural, endocrinological and molecular endophenotypes.
From the module catalog:
Introduction to issues in the field of nature and species conservation with a special focus on southern Africa. The focus is on acquiring in-depth scientific skills and practicing special techniques in the field, mainly in the areas of species knowledge, biodiversity, ecology, nature conservation, taxonomy and behavioral biology. Some of the courses take place in the field in national parks or in laboratories at biological stations in South Africa (e.g. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biology at the University of Pretoria, Ukutula Conservation Center, Mogalakwena Research Center, Pilanesberg National Park).
PRE-LECTURE: Theoretical background and introduction to the topics covered in the seminar and exercises.
SEMINAR: Presentations and discussions to deepen and critically examine the basics taught in the lecture and further aspects such as financing possibilities for protected areas and species conservation programs, conflicts of interest with local population groups, poaching, trophy hunting, ecotourism as well as species knowledge, adaptations and special features of the fauna and flora in southern Africa.
EXCURSION/ EXERCISES (14 d in South Africa): Methods of behavioral and physiological field research such as recording social behavior, activity patterns, ranking, habitat and food choice, monitoring stress and reproduction via non-invasive measurement of hormone metabolites in excretory products. Acquisition of species knowledge and knowledge about the biology of wild animals in southern Africa, e.g. lifestyle and ecology, adaptations to the habitat, social organization and mating system of the animal species; dealing with topics of nature and species protection (wildlife conservation) such as threat status and protection measures for certain animal species and habitats (including wildlife management), methods and problems of conservation projects, conflicts and solution approaches at local, national and international level; getting to know research institutes and biological fields of activity outside the universities.
more information about the excursion master module Behavioral Biology