Education of Host-Microbe Interactomics
The Host-Microbe Interactomics Group provides education and training at the BSc, MSc, PhD level in basic and applied aspects of research on biology of infectious diseases, beneficial host-microbe interactions, and approaches to combating infectious diseases e.g. vaccination and antimicrobials.
MSc thesis and internship
The Host–Microbe Interactomics group offers a wide range of MSc thesis and internship opportunities for students interested in host–microbe interactions, immunology, microbiology, and molecular life sciences. Our projects span laboratory, computational and data-driven approaches, and provide hands-on experience within an active research environment.
If you are interested in joining us, or if you want to do an internship in the field of Host-Microbe Interactomics, please contact us for current options and guidance on how to apply.
Education coordinator
Are you interested in doing an MSc thesis in our group? Contact us.
dr.ir. P (Peter) van Baarlen
Researcher
BSc thesis
At Host-Microbe Interactomics, we offer BSc theses on various projects. Topics for such theses include:
- Role of microbiome in IBD
- Gut-brain axis
- Nutrition and behaviour
- Antibiotics and microbiome resilience
- Population genetics and horizontal gene transfer of virulence genes of Streptococcus suis
- Using zebrafish for host-microbe interaction research
- Dysbiosis and disease
- Development of proper host-microbe homeostasis in early life
- Role of innate and adaptive immunity in shaping the microbial composition
- The importance of bacterial strain-specificity in health and disease
Thesis rings
HMI provides BSc thesis rings twice per year for students who wish to write a literature thesis. In the beginning of period 1 and at the beginning of period 5 you can join the thesis rings. These thesis rings are mandatory as they introduce all the things that are important to know when writing a literature thesis.
During the thesis rings we discuss how to start, how to find literature, how to structure the different parts of your thesis etc. The thesis rings will also use peer feedback. You will read and comment on written text by your fellow students and reflect on your own writing.
These thesis rings are provided independently of your subject at HMI. Depending on your subject you will have an HMI supervisor to give constructive feedback, different viewpoints and help with the understanding the subject matter.
How does it work?
Before period 1 or 5 starts, identify your thesis topic. If you find a topic of interest (see on the right side of the screen) you can email Sylvia Brugman (sylvia.brugman@wur.nl). Depending on your topic you will be assigned a BSc thesis supervisor. You will be enrolled in the thesis rings, which will be held every week (time depends on shared availability of students and tutor) for the first 4 weeks. In the meantime, you will also meet once or twice with your HMI BSc thesis supervisor to discuss your choice of topic and planning.
During the thesis rings, we will look at different aspects of the thesis and you will get help on structure, information literacy, active/passive voice etc. So in the first four weeks of the thesis we will cover the basics. After these four weeks, you will mainly meet with your BSc thesis supervisor, as most of the questions will be content specific.
BSc thesis coordinator
Are you interested in doing a BSc thesis in our group? Contact us.
dr. S (Sylvia) Brugman
Opleidingsmanager / Program director BSc MSc Animal Sciences / Associate Professor
Courses
Our courses
- HMI20306 Microbiomes and Health
- HMI30306 Commensal and Pathogen Host-Microbe Interactions in the Intestine
- HMI50306 Microbial Disease Mechanisms
Courses with contribution of HMI
- ADP22303 Infections and Disorders
- ENT51306 Frontiers in Medical and Veterinary Biology
- HAP22306 Practical Lab Skills for Animal Sciences
- HAP31806 Molecular Regulation of Health and Disease