Global health (MAN0A3F)

Global health priorities are the focus of this course. The global burden of disease across countries will be scrutinized, as well as inequality and other important socio-economic determinants of health in a globalized world. Particular focus will be given to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health from a global perspective, as well as health systems designed to provide good and timely services. Global nutritional challenges and mental health issues will be discussed as well as prevention and impact of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cholera, Ebola and COVID-19. Other subjects for discussion and analysis with importance for health include violence, environment, culture, disaster and complex emergencies, as well as ethical issues. In addition, the work and policies of international institutions and development organizations will be discussed, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Nutritional epidemiology (NÆR701F)

The aim of the course is to increase students‘ understanding of the main research methods in nutritional epidemiology and to enhance students‘ ability to understand nutrigenomics.

The course will cover the basics of epidemiology and nutritional epidemiology.  Methodology in nutritional epidemiology will be covered in depth and special topics in this field introduced.  The field nutrigenomics will be explained.    

Development cooperation: Approaches and Institutions. Reading course. (MAN018F)

This course treats the debate on aid effectiveness, and institutions and actors within international aid, approaches to development cooperation, and their strengths and weaknesses. Multilateral institutions, bilateral donors, non-governmental organizations and emerging donors will be presented. Important approaches to aid, such as project support, sector-wide approach, budget support, result-based management, participatory methods and gender sensitive approaches will be introduced. as well as challenges in environmental and resource management and disaster aid.

Note: The course is only open to students that are yet to complete this course as a mandatory option, i.e. students registered for a postgraduate diploma in Development studies or Global health, and Global study MA-students with development studies as area of specialization.

Health and Inequality (FÉL098F)

Social inequality impacts health. Those who are more vulnerable in society have, in general, worse health than those with more resources. In this course, we will focus on the relationship between social standing and health. Students will be introducted to the major theories within medical sociology, for example Link and Phelan´s theory of fundamental causes of disase and we will cover major empirical research in the field. One of the most important contribution of sociology is an understanding of how larger societal forces (for example, the health system and the welfare system) shape individual lives and therefore we will look at how the relationship between social standing and health is shaped by these forces. Since our health is a complex phenomenon we will also look at it from an interdisciplinary perspective, by using insights from public health, health science, antropology, and political science.

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

Research and patents (VON101F)

This course focuses on Intellectual Property Rights namely patents, patentability, patent applications, patent search and the patent process. After the course, the students should be able to do a simple patent search, with the aim of gaining knowledge on prior art and to be able conclude if their research is patentable or not. The course is taught in a day.

The course is open to all graduate students at UI

Food Safety Management (MAT616M)

•      The course focuses on key elements involved in managing quality and safety of food, including production intended for international trade.  Lectures will cover Food Safety and Quality requirements in International trade, regional and national regulatory framework aimed at ensuring food safety and certification.  EU and USA legal framework. National control plans (residual plans, audit plans, structure of control).  Risk assessment.  Food chain risks.  Contingency plans for feed, food and animal health.  Good Manufacturing Practices / Good Agriculture Practices / Good Hygiene Practices.  Hazard Analysis Critical Control (HACCP).  Sampling, monitoring, surveillance, analytical criteria and limits for evaluation of food safety results.  Traceability and Food Safety.  Accreditation of testing laboratories.  Internal and external audits at official and private level. Codex International guidelines. Quality Assurance Management (ISO-9000, ISO-14000, ISO-22000).    Buyer’s specification.

•      Practical’s cover 1) installation of HACCP systems and validation of the systems, 2) Internal and external verification of Food Safety and Quality at Food Business Operators, 3) student assignments on current topics in Food Control and Inspection.

•      Course plan: Lectures, discussions and other practical work on subjects related to the course material. Active participation of students is required. Student projects: Reading and presentation of scientific papers from international journals and material connected to the lectures

Ecological innovation in Food Science (MAT612M)

The course is in collaboration with the Confederation of Icelandic Industries (Samtök iðnaðarins) and Matís ohf. 

The main goal of the course is to develop a new food product from start to finish by prototyping the product, design its packaging, develop a marketing strategy, understand and identify the production of it and build a robust business model with sustainability at its core. The final work of each team could become the next new product and be presented at the European competition Ecotrophelia.  

The course is based on group work and collaboration between students. It is expected from students to work in a team and share tasks to be able to complete the requirements of the course. Guidance will be provided on creating and working in teams. Students from different background are taking this course hence teacher will make sure that each team have the good set of skills per team (e.i students who have received instruction and training in different aspects of product development). 

It is asked to the students to develop a prototype of the new food product. Support and working space will be made available for the students to use. A small financial support is also provided for the product development for each team.  

Lectures on the different notion like marketing plan, packaging design and business model creation will be carried out by the teachers or through guest lecturer specialist in their own field. Students will be prepared for their final presentation (pitch).  

Sponsorship and collaboration from different Icelandic companies in the food sector are a possibility for this course. More details on the condition will be presented at the beginning of the course.  

Matís ohf. provides expert assistance and assistance in the development and preparation of sample copies. 

The final assignment is in two parts. First, the submission of a detailed report per team on the product developed, the business plan, sales and marketing and the ecological aspect of the product (sustainability of the ingredients, packaging, design, production...).  

Second, each team will present their final product and business plan to a jury for the innovation competition Ecotrophelia Iceland, through an oral presentation. The pitch event is in collaboration with Samtök iðnaðarins. The winning team will then have the chance and opportunity to represent Iceland at the European competition of Ecotrophelia. Participating in the European competition is optional and up to the students but the oral presentation is mandatory.  More information on the competition here: www.ecotrophelia.eu  

For students in food science, it is highly recommended to take this course along with MAT609M – Food product development as knowledge and skills can be acquired and combine for both courses.  

For students from other studies: you are more than welcome to take this class as diversity and skills from other fields are key to a successful food product development. Read this to be convinced (https://shorturl.at/opxH3 or this https://shorturl.at/boHM8 ) 

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

Sustainable Development, Environmental Policy and Resource Management (UAU101F)

Various incentives, policies and management initiatives are used to influence human behavior, to limit the ecological footprint (EF), and to promote sustainable development. This course focuses on environmental and resource management and policy - in the context of sustainable development (SD). The course is broken to three sessions. In the first session we assess the concept SD from various perspectives - followed by an attempt to operationalize the concept. We compare the concepts growth and SD and ask if the two are compatible and discuss sustainability indicators. In the second session we critically examine various tools that are frequently used in environmental and resource decision-making, such as formal decision analysis, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis in addition to valuing ecosystem services. In the third session we examine the ideological foundations behind environmental and resource policy, and assess various policy and management initiatives for diverse situations in a comparative international context. Examples are much based on student interests but possible examples include bottle-deposit systems, ITQ's, voluntary approaches and multi-criteria management.

Introduction to Environment and Natural Resources (UAU102F)

The increase in human numbers and the scale of economic activity has put humans in a position to greatly influence environmental and resource change. Explaining the extent and impact of this influence or selecting and designing appropriate management methods is well beyond the theory and analytical tools of individual disciplines, such as economics, ecology, social or physical sciences. Before introducing the perspective and tools of various disciplines students must have at a minimum a basic understanding of the driving forces behind in addition to the physical and ecological principles of environmental and resource change. The aim of this course is to provide such a background. Some of the topics covered are:the ecological footprint, population growth, economic growth, technology and the environment, natural capital and ecosystem services, diversity as a resource, soil degradation, Pollution and health, Air, water and soil pollution. Climate change and ozone depletion. Urban smog and pollution from heavy industry. Municipal and hazardous waste. Freshwater resources, Marine resources. Forests and wetlands. Energy resources and Energy and the environment.

Of Microbes and Men: Microbes, Culture, Health, and Environment (MON002M)

Course Description

What can the making of the old Icelandic dairy product “skyr” tell us about how Icelandic society has developed for more than a thousand years? How does the microbiome affect health? How do we dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way within an urban context and what silent majority of earthlings makes it happen? Microbial communities have shaped the earth and its inhabitants for eons, from the dawn of life on earth. To better understand and deal with the environmental, health, and social challenges of the 21st century, we need to better understand these first organisms and the symbiosis between them and other species, including humans. Recent studies reveal that more than half of the cells in our bodies belong to a variety of microbial species. Does that mean humans are microbes, or “merely” that our relationship with microbes is the strongest and most intimate relationship we have with others? The course invites students to explore the symbiotic practices of microbes and humans from various angles, from microbiology and ethnology, food and nutrition sciences and anthropology. Special attention will be given to the role of microbes in developing and preserving food in human societies, as well as their role in digestion, and how these roles are connected to human mental and physical health. The course also explores how microbes sustain vital nutrient cycles and their ability to transform garbage and waste into healthy soil.

The course works with the concept of „One Health“ which has been in development for the past couple of decades. One Health is a transdisciplinary and collaborative paradigm that recognizes the shared environment and interconnection between people, animals, plants and microbes. The approach promotes health and wellbeing for humans, animals and the environment, emphasizing coordination, communication, and joint efforts across disciplines. The topic will be explored through different examples of microbial-human relations such as how microbes affect the taste of food  and its composition, how diets affect gut microbiota, the role of fermentation in shaping microbial-human relations and how urban waste management disrupts nutrition cycles in the human environment. 

Environmental Governance (UAU201F)

In some settings, humans interact with the environment and use natural resources sustainably, but not in others. What explains such differences arising from human-environment interactions is the role of governance. Environmental governance can in its most basic form be understood as a social function centered on efforts to steer or guide the action of humans – being an individual, a small local user groups or the international community – towards desired outcomes and away from outcomes regarded as undesirable (Young, 2013).

This course has a focus on the introduction and understanding of different dimensions of environmental and natural resources governance in the context of sustainability.

It is divided into four interconnected sections:

1. Environmental Governance: The basics. What is governance? The environment as an arena for coordination and conflict. How do we understand actors, their roles and decision making? Power and power relations. Institutions and institutional change. Social-ecological systems. Governance structures. Public goods.
2. International and Domestic Environmental Governance. International environmental governance and institutions, e.g. EU, UN, UN Environment, FAO, World Bank etc. North-South issues. Environmental regimes; ozone, climate change, desertification, etc. Synergies. Introduction to environmental governance in Iceland and how it relates to decision-making with regard to environment and resources. Governance structure, central, local decision-making. Relationship between various levels of governance, parliament, ministries, agencies.
3. Public Responsibility and the Environment. Public participation. How can the public affect decision-making? Domestic and international environmental Non-governmental organizations.
4. Corporate Governance in the sustainability context. This part of the course focuses on corporate governance, such as outlined in the Nasdaq Corporate Governance Guidelines in the context of corporate sustainability. Relevant to the discussion is fiduciary duty, the ESRS Governance Standards (ESRS 1 and 2; ESRS G1), the SDGs 8-10, 12, 13, 17, the UN Global Compact Principle number 10, GRI Universal Standards and 200 Series, the Economic layer canvas, and more.

Public Health Nutrition (NÆR611M)

Course description:

The course introduces the main topics and challenges of public health nutrition, but also methods and approaches in the field of health promotion. Emphasis will be placed on health promotion projects in the field of nutrition in the West but also in developing countries. Nutrition is placed in the context of other health-related behaviors, people's situations and lifestyles. The main theories about health-related behaviors will be introduced, which factors control consumption behavior and what can be important if changes are made to health-related behaviors. The main nutrition-related prevention and health promotion projects in Iceland as well as foreign projects will be presented. Students gain skills in organizing public health projects in the field of nutrition and how research results can be used for prevention and measures aimed at improving health. All the main steps in shaping and preparing a project, its implementation and evaluation of results will be discussed.

We try to answer following questions as well as others:

Do we really control what we eat - or do we have limited choices?

Is public health determined solely by politics?

Is nutrition literacy an important concept?

Is your diet ruining Mother Earth's health?

Do you get something to eat if there is a war abroad?

What is your responsibility for starving children in the world?

What really governs the world?

Do you want to be involved in changing the world?

Create health promotion projects of your choice.

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

Of Microbes and Men: Microbes, Culture, Health, and Environment (MON002M)

Course Description

What can the making of the old Icelandic dairy product “skyr” tell us about how Icelandic society has developed for more than a thousand years? How does the microbiome affect health? How do we dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way within an urban context and what silent majority of earthlings makes it happen? Microbial communities have shaped the earth and its inhabitants for eons, from the dawn of life on earth. To better understand and deal with the environmental, health, and social challenges of the 21st century, we need to better understand these first organisms and the symbiosis between them and other species, including humans. Recent studies reveal that more than half of the cells in our bodies belong to a variety of microbial species. Does that mean humans are microbes, or “merely” that our relationship with microbes is the strongest and most intimate relationship we have with others? The course invites students to explore the symbiotic practices of microbes and humans from various angles, from microbiology and ethnology, food and nutrition sciences and anthropology. Special attention will be given to the role of microbes in developing and preserving food in human societies, as well as their role in digestion, and how these roles are connected to human mental and physical health. The course also explores how microbes sustain vital nutrient cycles and their ability to transform garbage and waste into healthy soil.

The course works with the concept of „One Health“ which has been in development for the past couple of decades. One Health is a transdisciplinary and collaborative paradigm that recognizes the shared environment and interconnection between people, animals, plants and microbes. The approach promotes health and wellbeing for humans, animals and the environment, emphasizing coordination, communication, and joint efforts across disciplines. The topic will be explored through different examples of microbial-human relations such as how microbes affect the taste of food  and its composition, how diets affect gut microbiota, the role of fermentation in shaping microbial-human relations and how urban waste management disrupts nutrition cycles in the human environment. 

Global health (MAN0A3F)

Global health priorities are the focus of this course. The global burden of disease across countries will be scrutinized, as well as inequality and other important socio-economic determinants of health in a globalized world. Particular focus will be given to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health from a global perspective, as well as health systems designed to provide good and timely services. Global nutritional challenges and mental health issues will be discussed as well as prevention and impact of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cholera, Ebola and COVID-19. Other subjects for discussion and analysis with importance for health include violence, environment, culture, disaster and complex emergencies, as well as ethical issues. In addition, the work and policies of international institutions and development organizations will be discussed, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Water quality (UMV121F)

Industrialization and human development has contributed to degrading water and soil quality. This class explores the lifecycle of key pollutants found in surface water, groundwater and soils:  their source, their fate in the environment, the human exposure pathways, methods to restore (and treat) water and soils in relation sustainable development goals (nr. 14-15: Life below water and on land). The class provides a theoretical foundation for predicting pollution levels in water, and soils.

Topics include: Pollutants found in surface water, groundwater and soils. Transport and dilution of pollutants via advection and diffusion processes. Water stability and wind mixing. Analytical models for predicting pollution levels in rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwater. Particle bound pollution, settling and re-suspension. Gas transfer and oxygen depletion. Chemical degradation of pollutants. Seepage of pollutants through soils. Restoration and remediation of polluted water and land sites.

Teaching is conducted in English in the form of lectures, discussion of local incidents of pollution in Iceland and internationally, and practical research projects. The class will review recent research studies on water and soil pollution in Iceland.

Herbal Remedies/Natural Products (LYF310F)

The course covers the most commonly used herbal remedies/natural products with the aim of enhancing communication skills of students in conveying reliable information to consumers and other health-care professionals. Aspects covered include constituents claimed benefits, scientific research on efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, contraindications. Quality control. Laws, executive orders on herbal remedies.

Current Topics in Food Sciences (MAT702F)

Objectives:
To inform students about the latest research, policies and developments related to food processing and engineering and teach them to read in depth scientific articles and other information in a critical way and participate in discussions and present their opinion in a systematic way. 

Arrangement: 
The course is structured as a reading course where the latest topics and research related to food processing and engineering are covered.   Different aspects of processing and engineering will be addressed each week, e.g. new processing methods, product development, nanotechnology, transport technology, green production technology, new processing equipment, traceability, etc.  Students receive weekly scientific and / or summary articles, which they read in detail with a critical mind.  Students and teachers meet weekly to discuss the general topic presented, as well as the content of the articles, methodology and authors' conclusions.  Students, teachers, and guests will give presentations.  The teacher will, with the active participation of the students, peer-review selected articles in the class with the aim of teaching the students the methodology of scientific peer-review. The student submits a short report weekly on the scientific articles he has read, together with his assessment of them.  At the end of the course, each student is presented with one scientific article that he or she is asked to peer review in detail, as if it were a review of a new unpublished article. The student submits this peer review at the end of the course. The course is taught over two full semesters a total of 30 sessions.

Practical Bioinformatics (LEI106F)

Basic concepts in bioinformatics will be covered and the main databases for DNA/RNA and amino acid sequences introduced. Different methods of bioinformatics will be discussed such as sequence comparison and searches in protein and DNA/RNA databases. An introduction will be given to sequence comparison and evolutionary biology. An emphasis will be put on students knowing and being able to use the main protein/DNA databases. Also, there will be an introduction to computer programs used in bioinformatics work.

Teaching will take place with lectures and practical problem solving. The course is designed to be practical; assignments must be finished throughout the semester and will thus require the active participation of the student.

Automatic Control Systems (VÉL504G)

Methods of classical automatic control systems. System models represented by transfer functions and state equations, simulation. System time and frequency responses. Properties of feedback control systems, stability, sensitivity, disturbance rejection, error coefficients. Stability analysis, Routh's stability criterion. Analysis and design using root-locus, lead, lag and PID controllers. Analysis and design in the frequency domain, lead, lag and PID compensators. Computer controlled systems, A/D and D/A converters, transformations of continuous controllers to discrete form. Analysis and design of digital control systems.

Sustainable Development, Environmental Policy and Resource Management (UAU101F)

Various incentives, policies and management initiatives are used to influence human behavior, to limit the ecological footprint (EF), and to promote sustainable development. This course focuses on environmental and resource management and policy - in the context of sustainable development (SD). The course is broken to three sessions. In the first session we assess the concept SD from various perspectives - followed by an attempt to operationalize the concept. We compare the concepts growth and SD and ask if the two are compatible and discuss sustainability indicators. In the second session we critically examine various tools that are frequently used in environmental and resource decision-making, such as formal decision analysis, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis in addition to valuing ecosystem services. In the third session we examine the ideological foundations behind environmental and resource policy, and assess various policy and management initiatives for diverse situations in a comparative international context. Examples are much based on student interests but possible examples include bottle-deposit systems, ITQ's, voluntary approaches and multi-criteria management.

Fish Processing Technology 1 (VÉL502M)

The role of the fish industry in the Icelandic economy. Fish as raw material, its composition, physical and chemical properties. Fish stocks, fishing gear, selectivity. Storage methods on board and after landing. Processing methods, production process and processing equipment for cooling, superchilling, freezing, salting, drying, canning and shell process. Energy and mass balance for each step in the process and the whole process. 

Corporate Environmental Management (UAU108F)

This course seeks to explore the responsibility of companies towards the environment. Active participation of students is required by analysing issues related to companies, the natural environment and various stakeholders, but that is for instance done through a simulation and case studies.

The aim of the course is to create an understanding of and teach students to choose and employ the necessary tools to assess goals and make decisions when it comes to environmental and resource management in the context of sustainable development. Among the tools used are the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the UN Global Compact, the Global Reporting Initiative and more.

The course is divided into three parts. In part one, we will explore the origins and meaning of corporate liability. The second part focuses on how to manage and implement corporate responsibility. In the third part, we will learn about corporate responsibility from the perspective of impact, criticism, and future prospects.

At a minimum, the successful completion of this course assumes that students have acquired a theoretical understanding of the subject, are able to apply the methods that have been taught and are literate in case of information related to companies and their environmental issues, outcomes, and impacts.

Sustainability education and leadership (SFG003F)

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to work with institutional and systems approaches in working with sustainability and sustainability education with regards to institution and/or systems. Classes are online and built on informed debate and active participation (80% attendance). Few written major assignments will be expected together with student participation. 

To pass the course students need to get minimum grade 5,0 for each assignment and fulfil obligatory attendance and participation in classes. Further information and instructions will be on Canvas (the learning environment).

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Education for sustainability in formal and informal settings (e.g. in workplaces)
• Leadership for sustainability (e.g. whole school or leisure activity change)
• Relations between science and sustainability (e.g. tactic/principle)
• Wicked problems
• Rural development and sustainability
• Creating shared values (including corporate social responsibility) 
• Curriculum change

Safety and human health effects of aquatic food (MAT706F)

http://kurser.dtu.dk/course/2015-2016/23154

Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences (LYF107M)

Pharmaceutical sciences is a versatile field that integrates diverse disciplines such as organic chemistry, biology and biochemistry to understand how we can develope new drugs that can improve current therapies or be first in line as a treatment. Thus, studies on their physicochemical properties, their formulation into suitable drug and their action inside the human body is needed. In this course we aim to provide the overview of this field in a comprehensive way. This course is aimed towards students with no background in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences.

Advanced Food Chemistry (MAT505M)

The goal of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of food chemistry.  The chemical and physical properties of macromolecules in foods (proteins, carbohydrates and fats), their food applications, degradation, reactions and procedures to maintain their functionality and shelf-life will be covered. The composition and structure of nutritional compounds and their interactions in foods will be reviewed.  The role of water and water activity on food shelf-life and quality will be discussed.  The course will review enzyme reactions in food and kinetics, their application in the food industry and actions to minimize undesirable enzyme activities in food systems.  Methods to incorporate bioactive molecules into foods and ways to maintain their activity will be presented. The chemistry of colorants, preservatives and antioxidants and their applications in the food industry will be discussed.  Key methods used in food chemistry research will be presented to the students.  The information presented in the course on different components of food and their properties will be connected to real practical examples connected to food product development and processing. The course is a reading course with practical sessions. Classes will focus on discussion session to enhance student understanding of the subject.

Aquatic Food Primary Production: Fishery and aquaculture (MAT704F)

https://www.nmbu.no/course/AQF200

Nutritional epidemiology (NÆR701F)

The aim of the course is to increase students‘ understanding of the main research methods in nutritional epidemiology and to enhance students‘ ability to understand nutrigenomics.

The course will cover the basics of epidemiology and nutritional epidemiology.  Methodology in nutritional epidemiology will be covered in depth and special topics in this field introduced.  The field nutrigenomics will be explained.    

Management in biomedical science (LEI105F)

Items for discussions are:

Quality management in health services, including concepts like accreditation, certification, quality standards and quality manuals.

Safety management, including safety of the work environment, and data safety
Environmental management according to ISO 14000
Knowledge management and information systems
Change management
Project management
Financial management
Human resource management

Introduction to Research Studies and the Scientific Community (LÍF128F)

Introduction to Research Studies and the Scientific Community for M.sc. and Ph.D. students. The scientific community. Ethical, professional and practical information for research students. The research student's rights and responsibilities. Career opportunities. Lab safety and professionalism. Scientific method, conflict of interest and proper scientific conduct. What you can expect and not expect from supervisors. Duties and responsibilities of graduate students. Experimental design and how to write and publish results. Bibliographic software, tables and figure presentation. Techniques for poster and oral presentations. Writing scientific papers. Writing science proposals.

Grant writing and opportunities, cover letters, publishing environment and options. Thesis completion and responsibilities around graduation.

Format. Lectures, practicals, student projects and reviewing. Indvidual and group projects.

The course is run over 11 weeks in the fall.

Food Processing Operations (MAT504M)

The main processing methods used for common food materials will be discussed including: Fruits and vegetable processing with emphasis on Tomatoes, Potatoes and Mushrooms. Grain processing and Milling with including wet milling and rice parboiling, frozen dough and other baked goods, pasta and breakfast cereals. Milk and dairy processing. Eggs and processing procedures. Fats and oil processing. Food emulsions. Beverages including; orange juice, soda, bier, wine, coffee processing and tee. Confectionery and chocolate products and processing and sugar based confections. The processing of foods to the most common consumer products will be discussed and the main equipment used will be described.

Global health (MAN0A3F)

Global health priorities are the focus of this course. The global burden of disease across countries will be scrutinized, as well as inequality and other important socio-economic determinants of health in a globalized world. Particular focus will be given to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health from a global perspective, as well as health systems designed to provide good and timely services. Global nutritional challenges and mental health issues will be discussed as well as prevention and impact of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cholera, Ebola and COVID-19. Other subjects for discussion and analysis with importance for health include violence, environment, culture, disaster and complex emergencies, as well as ethical issues. In addition, the work and policies of international institutions and development organizations will be discussed, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Development cooperation: Approaches and Institutions. Reading course. (MAN018F)

This course treats the debate on aid effectiveness, and institutions and actors within international aid, approaches to development cooperation, and their strengths and weaknesses. Multilateral institutions, bilateral donors, non-governmental organizations and emerging donors will be presented. Important approaches to aid, such as project support, sector-wide approach, budget support, result-based management, participatory methods and gender sensitive approaches will be introduced. as well as challenges in environmental and resource management and disaster aid.

Note: The course is only open to students that are yet to complete this course as a mandatory option, i.e. students registered for a postgraduate diploma in Development studies or Global health, and Global study MA-students with development studies as area of specialization.

Marine resources (MAT703F)

Students will gain an insight into the newest research and developments within the marine resources sector, including new product development, technological and processing advances, novel analytical quality assessment techniques, as well as obtain a holistic view of the many aspects affecting seafood processing and handling, all from the effects of catching/harvesting ground to the development of marine products and their effect on the human body during their consumption.

Amongst covered topics are processing novelties and optimization, robotics and automation within seafood processing, technical advances in quality analytics, novelties in product development including 3D food printing from marine resources, fish protein and peptide processing, micro-plastics hazards in the marine food chains, marine bioactive compounds, as well as characterization, processing and product development of marine raw materials and underutilized side streams. 

The course is a mandatory part of the Aquatic Food Production joint Nordic M.Sc. program (www.aqfood.org ).

Food Engineering (MAT507M)

The course objectives are to teach students the fundamentals of food engineering and unit operations of food processing. This includes the setup and application of material and energy balances, learning the basics of the thermodynamics and heat transfer, fluid properties and the effects of pressure drop and friction in flow in food processes. The course syllabus combines activities in the form of lectures and calculation exercises on the diverse unit operations of food processing.

Text book and other reading material

1. Introduction to food engineering, 5th edition, 2013. Singh, Paul and Heldman, Dennis.

https://www.elsevier.com/books/introduction-to-food-engineering/singh/978-0-12-398530-9 Links to an external site. 

Paul Singh's youtube channel:

https://youtube.com/@RPaulSinghLinks to an external site.  

2. Lecture slides, scientific articles, and other reading material provided by the course teachers.

Microbial biotechnology (LÍF534M)

This course introduces biotechnology-based applications of microbes and their enzymes. The first part provides fundamental microbiology such as the classification of microorganisms, their structure, metabolism, growth and functional characteristics, handling and identification. The content of the first part will be emphasized with practical sessions, discussions and written assignments and is the foundation for more specific topics.

The second part will introduce different fields of microbial biotechnology and how they have been shaped by recent progress in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry. State of the art will be covered regarding subjects such as microbial diversity as a resource of enzymes and biocompounds; bioprospecting, thermophiles, marine microbes and microalgae, biorefineries (emphasis on seaweed and lignocellulose), enzymes (emphasis on carbohydrate active enzymes), metabolic engineering (genetic engineering, omics), energy-biotechnology, cultivation and fermentation technology. The course will exemplify Icelandic biotechnology where applicable. The subject will be presented in lectures and students will be trained in reading original research papers on selected topics in the field; Cultivation/production technology and yeast will be presented specifically in practical sessions in the brewing of beer.

This course is partly taught in parallel with Microbiology II (LÍF533M) and intended for students that have neither completed Microbiology (LÍF201G) nor a similar course. Students must complete the first part of the course before participating in the latter. The number of participants might be restricted.

Additional teaching one saturday in end of September or beginning of October.

Research and patents (VON101F)

This course focuses on Intellectual Property Rights namely patents, patentability, patent applications, patent search and the patent process. After the course, the students should be able to do a simple patent search, with the aim of gaining knowledge on prior art and to be able conclude if their research is patentable or not. The course is taught in a day.

The course is open to all graduate students at UI

Science communication and thesis writing (UAU116F)

The course will cover how to structure and write a research thesis. Challenges of writing a thesis will be discussed, as well as tips to finding thesis rules and templates from the different faculties. Techniques of how to write scientific papers and literature reviews will be presented. Students will practice writing an abstract and giving an oral presentation about their thesis research. This course is taught every semester and is a required course for each ENR student to complete before graduation.

Students must have their thesis proposal ready prior to taking the course, and begun writing their master’s thesis.

Student registers for Science communication and thesis writing (UAU116F or UAU244F) either at spring semester or autumn semester, it’s not allowed to take both.

Of Microbes and Men: Microbes, Culture, Health, and Environment (MON002M)

Course Description

What can the making of the old Icelandic dairy product “skyr” tell us about how Icelandic society has developed for more than a thousand years? How does the microbiome affect health? How do we dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way within an urban context and what silent majority of earthlings makes it happen? Microbial communities have shaped the earth and its inhabitants for eons, from the dawn of life on earth. To better understand and deal with the environmental, health, and social challenges of the 21st century, we need to better understand these first organisms and the symbiosis between them and other species, including humans. Recent studies reveal that more than half of the cells in our bodies belong to a variety of microbial species. Does that mean humans are microbes, or “merely” that our relationship with microbes is the strongest and most intimate relationship we have with others? The course invites students to explore the symbiotic practices of microbes and humans from various angles, from microbiology and ethnology, food and nutrition sciences and anthropology. Special attention will be given to the role of microbes in developing and preserving food in human societies, as well as their role in digestion, and how these roles are connected to human mental and physical health. The course also explores how microbes sustain vital nutrient cycles and their ability to transform garbage and waste into healthy soil.

The course works with the concept of „One Health“ which has been in development for the past couple of decades. One Health is a transdisciplinary and collaborative paradigm that recognizes the shared environment and interconnection between people, animals, plants and microbes. The approach promotes health and wellbeing for humans, animals and the environment, emphasizing coordination, communication, and joint efforts across disciplines. The topic will be explored through different examples of microbial-human relations such as how microbes affect the taste of food  and its composition, how diets affect gut microbiota, the role of fermentation in shaping microbial-human relations and how urban waste management disrupts nutrition cycles in the human environment. 

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (LYF122F)

The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of fundamental concepts in development and production of biotechnological based drugs (biologics). The production process for biologics manufactured via mammalian cell lines will be covered as well as the required analytical methods for their characterization. The following types of biologics will be covered: Antibodies (traditional and monoclonal), peptide-based drugs and protein-based drugs. The concept of quality by design (QbD) will be explained in addition to good manufacturing practice (GMP) that is required for biologis marketed within the EU/EEA (EU GMP Annex 2). Safety and toxicological profiles of biologics will also be discussed. Lastly, new methods releated to therapeutical applications of biologics will be discussed, including gene therapy and nuclotides. This course is based on a cooperation with experts within the biotechnology industry in Iceland.

Logistics & Environmental Engineering (IÐN510M)

The course focuses on the principles of logistics and supply management and gives a broad introduction to the field. The course is divided into three topics primarily. It covers purchase operations of services and inventory management. This part is followed by looking into transportation and distribution management. Finally, the environmental impacts of logistics is studies and all the three parts put together into a view of sustainability. The course consists of lectures, exercises, game (the Beer Game) and a management simulation game to give hands on experience on logistics management,

Biochemistry 3 (LEF501M)

Practical class with accompanying lectures where practical and theoretical aspects of the experiments are discussed. Enzyme purification by hydrophobic, ion-exchange, affinity and gel filtration chromatography. Gel electrophoresis. Enzyme kinetics and inhibitors. Specific chemical modification of enzymes. Thermal stability of proteins. Ligand-protein interactions. Immunoprecipitation. Restriction enzymes and agarose electrophoresis.  Bioinformatics by computer.

Practical projects:
The following laboratory sessions are performed: Enzyme kinetics and the effect of inhibitors. Purification of enzymes by hydrophobic interactions, ion-exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, and gel-filtration. Electrophoresis of protein and nucleic acids. Stability of proteins toward heating and urea/guanidinium assessed by activity measurements, UV-absorbance and circular dichroism. Determination of activation enery (Ea) and Gibb’s free energy. Specific reactions of amino acid side-chains in proteins for determining number of disulfide bonds and thiol groups. Action of reactive compounds as proteinase inhibitors differentiating between serine and cysteine proteases. Digestion of DNA by restriction enzymes and melting of DNA under various conditions that affect its stability. Preparation of samples for mass spectrometry by trypsin digestion and spotting of samples for MALDI-MS. Fingerprint identification using the computer program and database of Mascot. Bioinformatics and analysis of protein structures on the computer screen (e.q. BLAST, DeepView).

Operations Management (VIÐ404G)

Welcome to Operations Management!

Ever noticed how everything around us seems to somehow just work? That's what this course is all about – uncovering the fascinating world of processes in businesses and our daily lives. We'll explore how things get made, from the smallest gadget in your hand to the largest machines. It's not just about factories and assembly lines; we'll see how everything from your favourite coffee shop to the latest tech companies use processes to deliver what we love. We'll dive into how to design these processes, keep them running smoothly, and constantly improve them.

So get ready to look at the world around you in a whole new way, as a series of amazing processes making our lives better. Get ready to see the world like Operations Managers.

Health behaviour and food choice (ÍÞH036M)

This course concerns health behaviour in general. The health behaviour of different age groups will be addressed as well as the association between biological factors, health behaviour and social status. How can behaviour, coping and stress affect health? Behaviour in relations to food and consumption habits is of particular interest. How is it possible to shape healthy habits from childhood, for example to influence food choice and overcome pickiness about food? Societal influence and the part of media is also addressed. The course literature is from various books and scientific articles from different fields and is intended to capture the subject in an interdisciplinary manner.

Environmental Governance (UAU201F)

In some settings, humans interact with the environment and use natural resources sustainably, but not in others. What explains such differences arising from human-environment interactions is the role of governance. Environmental governance can in its most basic form be understood as a social function centered on efforts to steer or guide the action of humans – being an individual, a small local user groups or the international community – towards desired outcomes and away from outcomes regarded as undesirable (Young, 2013).

This course has a focus on the introduction and understanding of different dimensions of environmental and natural resources governance in the context of sustainability.

It is divided into four interconnected sections:

1. Environmental Governance: The basics. What is governance? The environment as an arena for coordination and conflict. How do we understand actors, their roles and decision making? Power and power relations. Institutions and institutional change. Social-ecological systems. Governance structures. Public goods.
2. International and Domestic Environmental Governance. International environmental governance and institutions, e.g. EU, UN, UN Environment, FAO, World Bank etc. North-South issues. Environmental regimes; ozone, climate change, desertification, etc. Synergies. Introduction to environmental governance in Iceland and how it relates to decision-making with regard to environment and resources. Governance structure, central, local decision-making. Relationship between various levels of governance, parliament, ministries, agencies.
3. Public Responsibility and the Environment. Public participation. How can the public affect decision-making? Domestic and international environmental Non-governmental organizations.
4. Corporate Governance in the sustainability context. This part of the course focuses on corporate governance, such as outlined in the Nasdaq Corporate Governance Guidelines in the context of corporate sustainability. Relevant to the discussion is fiduciary duty, the ESRS Governance Standards (ESRS 1 and 2; ESRS G1), the SDGs 8-10, 12, 13, 17, the UN Global Compact Principle number 10, GRI Universal Standards and 200 Series, the Economic layer canvas, and more.

Fish Processing Technology 2 (VÉL601M)

The main goal of the course is to train students to use their knowledge from various fields in mechanical engineering to organize and design fish processing plants and companies. Design requirements and design of production processes for fresh fish, frozen fish, dried fish, fish meal and canning plants. Production management, productivity estimates, quality control, wage structure, etc. for such companies. Heat and mass balances, steady and time dependent heat transfer, utilization of Heisler- and Mollier charts.

Exercises: Fish processing company or certain processes are analyzed and/or redesigned.

Science communication and thesis writing (UAU244F)

The course will cover how to structure and write a research thesis. Challenges of writing a thesis will be discussed, as well as tips to finding thesis rules and templates from the different faculties. Techniques of how to write scientific papers and literature reviews will be presented. Students will practice writing an abstract and giving an oral presentation about their thesis research. This course is taught every semester and is a required course for each ENR student to complete before graduation.

Students must have their thesis proposal ready prior to taking the course, and begun writing their master’s thesis.

Student registers for Science communication and thesis writing (UAU116F or UAU244F) either at spring semester or autumn semester, it’s not allowed to take both.

Stem cells and differentiation (LÆK028F)

To introduce stem cell research to graduate students in the biomedical sciences, provide an overview of how stem cells can be applied for therapeutic use and to advance our understanding of tissue architecture and disease progression.

In this course we will discuss different stem cell systems and dissect the current knowledge of how these cells maintain self-renewal and/or proceed to differentiation. During the course students will gain insight into both embryonic and somatic stem cell research including hematopoietic, mesenchymal and various epithelial stem cell populations. Furthermore, we will discuss the therapeutic importance of various stem cells and discuss the link between stem cells and diseases such as cancer.

In each lecture one principal investigator (PI) will introduce a particular aspect of the stem cell field (35 min.). Afterwards, one student will present a research article related to that field and discuss how that particular study was conducted. In their presentations, the students need to: 1) Introduce the background of the research article and the history of the concept being investigated. The key here is to understand the reason for why the work was done and why it is important. 2) Describe the aim of the study and the experimental design (methods and material). 3) Discuss the major results/findings (figures and tables). 4) Summarize the context of the work and discuss major conclusions made by the authors. Present your own view, what is good and what is bad in the experimental design and results. Finally discuss future experiments that need to be or should be conducted. After the presentation all students will participate in active discussion. In addition to this, the students must select a couple of articles on a stem cell topic of their immediate interest and write a short report in english (4-6 pages). At the end of the course a seminar is scheduled where each student presents his/her report in short talk (7-10 min.).

Molecular Genetics (LÍF644M)

Lectures: The molecular basis of life (chemical bonds, biological molecules, structure of DNA, RNA and proteins). Genomes and the flow of biological information. Chromosome structure and function, chromatin and nucleosomes. The cell cycle, DNA replication. Chromosome segregaition, Transcription. Regulation of transcription. RNA processing. Translation. Regulation of translation. Regulatory RNAs. Protein modification and targeting. DNA damage, checkpoints and DNA repair mechanisms. Repair of DNA double-strand breaks and homologous recombination. Mobile DNA elements. Tools and techniques in molecular Biology icluding Model organisms.

Seminar: Students present and discuss selected research papers and hand in a short essay.

Laboratory work: Work on molecular genetics project relevant to current research. Basic methods such as gene cloning, gene transfer and expression, PCR, sequencing, DNA isolation and restriction analysis, electrophoresis of DNA and proteins will be used.

Exam: Laboratory 10%, seminar 15%, written final exam 75%.

Marine Bioactive Compounds (MAT801F)

Marine bioactive compounds is a new exciting and fast growing field withing food science.  Iceland is uniquely positioned regarding raw materials and processing opportunities for marine compounds, and is among leading countries doing research in this area. The goal of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive overview on key marine bioactive compounds, including raw material sources, processing technologies, properties and applications of the compounds along with marketing opportunities and hurdles.  The course is a reading course where the above topics are covered on a weekly basis.  The instructor will assign students with scientific papers and reviews which they critically read.  Students and the instructor meet weekly to generally discuss the papers and the topic assigned in addition to critically discussing the content of the papers, methodology and author conclusions.  Experts from industry will be invited to participate in the discussion of selected topics.  Each week the student will turn in a summary of the papers he reviewed, including his assessment of the papers.  The student will also write an essay on a selected topic connected to marine bioactive ingredients which he returns at the end of the course.  The course is taught over a whole semester.

Food and culture (NÆR613M)

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

Field Course in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I) (IÐN222F)

The course is taught in two parts, and the expectation is that students register for both parts. The course will cover the practical issues related to innovation and entrepreneurship. It covers the emergence of a business idea and the initial evaluation of the business opportunity, and the development and testing of a business model. This part of the course consists of lectures and case discussions that deal with various aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship: Analysis of business opportunities, evaluation of market size and unit contribution, the management of organizational units that are involved in innovation, financing, and other issues. Students will also tackle projects where they apply the methods taught in the class to isolated tasks in product and business development in both new and existing firms.

Food innovation (MAT609M)

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main methods of product development and to train students in the use of consumer-driven methods in the development of food products. Students develop a consumer-oriented product and receive guidance in prototyping methods, selection of raw materials, experimental setup, scale-up, and the regulatory framework that must be followed when creating new foods. Students will also learn how sensory evaluation is used in product development and receive training in sensory evaluation of their own product. 

The development of the product will be made in team (prototyping and entrepreneurial training) but some assignments of the course are individual.  

Subject: 

Fundamentals of food product development.  

What will be discussed: 

• Idea search, idea filtering, prototype development (lecture as well as hands-on work) and scale-up to production  
• The use of experimental design for filtering and optimizing products in product development 
• The use of sensory evaluation in product development 
• The main innovations in environmentally friendly proteins 
• The relationship between food legislation and intellectual property rights in product development  

Real examples of product development at companies will be covered. 

Practical: A product will be developed from an idea to a prototype and presented at the end of the course through an oral presentation.  

Biochemistry 4 (LEF617M)

This course focuses on methodology and recent innovations in biochemistry, emphasizing both analytical and computational techniques. It is divided into several modules, each taught by experts in their respective fields. While lectures form the core of the material, additional resources such as articles or book chapters may be assigned when appropriate. Practical demonstrations of research equipment may also be included. Students are expected to submit several written assignments throughout the semester.

The course will explore recent research in various specialized areas of biochemistry, and the content of the modules is regularly updated.

Topics covered may include single-molecule spectroscopy, protein mass spectrometry, structural biochemistry, binding affinity and thermodynamics, enzymology, and computational biochemistry.

Seminar in Applied Biotechnology (ILT201F)

The open seminar series in applied biotechnology is aimed to bring academia and industry within the field of biotechnology together in a forum held on a broad basis. Example of subjects:

• Biopharmaceuticals.
• Bio-process design.
• Cell and algae culturing.
• From test tubes to products (upscaling).
• Medical and analytical biotech.
• Ethics in biotech.
• Marketing of biotech products.
• Food biotech.
• Biofuels and bio-based chemicals.
• Biotechnology in agriculture.

Students of Applied Biotechnology must complete the course twice (fall or spring semester). 

Advanced Food Microbiology (MAT506M)

This course provides the foundation needed for understanding the main sources of microbiological contamination in food, the effects of microbes on quality and safety of foods and control measures used to prevent spoilage and food-borne illnesses caused by microbes in foods. The content of lectures is divided into five parts: (1) Origin, classification and cultivation of microorganisms in foods. Introduction and history of food microbiology.  Traditional and novel methods for cultivation, isolation and enumeration of microorganisms in foods. Overview on the most important groups of microorganisms in foods, including indicator microorganisms. (2) Factors affecting the growth and survival of microorganisms in food. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting microorganisms in foods – nutrient content, pH, redox potential, water activity, humidity, temperature, atmosphere etc. Microbiology of food preservation – heat processing, chilling and freezing, chemical preservation, drying, modification of atmosphere, irradiation, high-pressure, fermentation and other profitable uses of microorganisms in food production. (3) Foodborne illness caused by microorganisms. Food microbiology and public health. Most important causes of food intoxications and infections -Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, Vibrio, Listeria, Clostridium, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, scombroid intoxications and other bacterial pathogens in foods. Non-bacterial agents of foodborne illnesses – parasites, toxigenic algae, toxigenic fungi, foodborne viruses and prions (BSE). Emerging pathogens. (4) Microbiology of primary food commodities. Sources of microorganisms found in primary food commodities.  Microbiology of sea-foods, meat products, dairy products, drinking water, vegetables, fruits, vines and beers. (5) Control of microbes in foods. Influence of processing and handling on survival of microorganisms and spoilage of foods by microorganisms. Sampling procedures, handling of samples and sampling schemes. Microbiological quality criteria and guidelines. Predictive microbiology. Cleaning and disinfection. Introduction to GMP, GHP, HACCP, quality management systems and Risk Analysis

Each student writes an essay about new topics in food microbiology and gives a short presentation.

Life Cycle Assessment (UAU215F)

Goals: Students should be able to apply the Life Cycle Assessment methodology to calculate the environmental impacts of products, production systems and services to identify and assess environmental impact. Students will learn to give recommendations on how to reduce environmental impacts based on a hot-spot analysis of the evaluated product, production system or service, and deliver results including sensitivity analysis.

Last but not least, students will be trained in the systems thinking competency, one of key competencies for sustainability.

Content: The course teaches the analysis of products and product systems from cradle to grave using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework as defined by 14040/14044:2006 ISO standards. LCA is used to assess the environmental impact of a specific product, production system and services. The reason for doing LCA is commonly to compare different products, product systems or services based on environmental impact. Additionally, the goal is often to identify where in a life cycle most of the impacts are occurring so that e.g. eco-design can be applied in development of new products, or if production methods are to be changed with the aim of reducing environmental impacts. In the course, students will learn to analyse systems from cradle-to-grave, from defining goal and scope, calculate e.g. raw material consumption and emissions to the environment (air, water and soil) to interpretation of results and application of sensitivity analysis. Different methods for conducting LCAs will also be introduced along with LCA calculation software and  related databases to support the analysis. Course evaluation is based on participation in class, and both individual and group assignments.

This course contributes to increase student competencies  within SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Teaching methods: It is taught with lectures, in class assignments, and individual and group projects.

Ecological innovation in Food Science (MAT612M)

The course is in collaboration with the Confederation of Icelandic Industries (Samtök iðnaðarins) and Matís ohf. 

The main goal of the course is to develop a new food product from start to finish by prototyping the product, design its packaging, develop a marketing strategy, understand and identify the production of it and build a robust business model with sustainability at its core. The final work of each team could become the next new product and be presented at the European competition Ecotrophelia.  

The course is based on group work and collaboration between students. It is expected from students to work in a team and share tasks to be able to complete the requirements of the course. Guidance will be provided on creating and working in teams. Students from different background are taking this course hence teacher will make sure that each team have the good set of skills per team (e.i students who have received instruction and training in different aspects of product development). 

It is asked to the students to develop a prototype of the new food product. Support and working space will be made available for the students to use. A small financial support is also provided for the product development for each team.  

Lectures on the different notion like marketing plan, packaging design and business model creation will be carried out by the teachers or through guest lecturer specialist in their own field. Students will be prepared for their final presentation (pitch).  

Sponsorship and collaboration from different Icelandic companies in the food sector are a possibility for this course. More details on the condition will be presented at the beginning of the course.  

Matís ohf. provides expert assistance and assistance in the development and preparation of sample copies. 

The final assignment is in two parts. First, the submission of a detailed report per team on the product developed, the business plan, sales and marketing and the ecological aspect of the product (sustainability of the ingredients, packaging, design, production...).  

Second, each team will present their final product and business plan to a jury for the innovation competition Ecotrophelia Iceland, through an oral presentation. The pitch event is in collaboration with Samtök iðnaðarins. The winning team will then have the chance and opportunity to represent Iceland at the European competition of Ecotrophelia. Participating in the European competition is optional and up to the students but the oral presentation is mandatory.  More information on the competition here: www.ecotrophelia.eu  

For students in food science, it is highly recommended to take this course along with MAT609M – Food product development as knowledge and skills can be acquired and combine for both courses.  

For students from other studies: you are more than welcome to take this class as diversity and skills from other fields are key to a successful food product development. Read this to be convinced (https://shorturl.at/opxH3 or this https://shorturl.at/boHM8 ) 

Food Safety Management (MAT616M)

•      The course focuses on key elements involved in managing quality and safety of food, including production intended for international trade.  Lectures will cover Food Safety and Quality requirements in International trade, regional and national regulatory framework aimed at ensuring food safety and certification.  EU and USA legal framework. National control plans (residual plans, audit plans, structure of control).  Risk assessment.  Food chain risks.  Contingency plans for feed, food and animal health.  Good Manufacturing Practices / Good Agriculture Practices / Good Hygiene Practices.  Hazard Analysis Critical Control (HACCP).  Sampling, monitoring, surveillance, analytical criteria and limits for evaluation of food safety results.  Traceability and Food Safety.  Accreditation of testing laboratories.  Internal and external audits at official and private level. Codex International guidelines. Quality Assurance Management (ISO-9000, ISO-14000, ISO-22000).    Buyer’s specification.

•      Practical’s cover 1) installation of HACCP systems and validation of the systems, 2) Internal and external verification of Food Safety and Quality at Food Business Operators, 3) student assignments on current topics in Food Control and Inspection.

•      Course plan: Lectures, discussions and other practical work on subjects related to the course material. Active participation of students is required. Student projects: Reading and presentation of scientific papers from international journals and material connected to the lectures

Innovation, Product Development, Marketing (IÐN202M)

An insight into the structure of innovation, product development and marketing and how to use this methodology as a tool of management in industrial companies. Theory and practical methods of innovation, product development and marketing. Training in project management and how to run integrated projects covering those three areas by solving realistic problems.

Sensory evaluation (MON603M)

In the course, students become acquainted with sensory evaluation sciences and how sensory evaluation is used to assess the properties of food. How to evoke, measure and evaluate the sensory properties of food and the different methods used in sensory evaluation will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on traditional sensory assessment methods (differential tests, graphical tests, hedonic tests, etc.), and how these methods are used in different situations such as quality control and product development. Methods in consumer research will be explained. Factors influencing sensory evaluation, the organization of sensory evaluation research (preparation, presentation of samples, choice of methods, etc.) will also be discussed, as well as sensory evaluation groups (selection and training) as well as statistical analysis and interpretation of sensory evaluation results. The teaching is in the form of lectures, as well as practical exercises under the guidance of a teacher.

Sustainable Futures (UAU207M)

The aim of this course is to develop the students' critical thinking and leadership skills for a sustainable future.  The material that will be introduced will show actions that can be taken to reduce individual/organisational/community/ country ecological/environmental footprints. The students will master scientific framework for sustainability - based on systems thinking. They will learn to link science/economics/social sciences to underpin policy, become aware of skills and methods needed to lead change, understanding carbon trading schemes, become aware of necessities of developing new economic, policy and legal systems and understand the components needed for building sustainable communities.  At the end of the course the students will be equipped to lead change towards a sustainable future, understand economic consequences of "business as usual", be able to detail measures to avert dangerous climate change, understand the legal framework for simultaneous policy and be fully aware of societal and economic consequences of "peak oil". Students will also be able to organise and run workshops on topics relating to sustainability, learn about successful cradle to cradle good practice, understand the meaning of embedded water and embedded energy and be aware of system's adaptation to climate change. Evaluation will be through workshops, presentations and group projects.

Intensive course, taught in modules over four weekends: Dates for spring semester 2023: January 20-21, February 10-11, March 3-4, and March 24-25.

Applied multivariable regression and data analysis (NÆR506M)

The aim of this course is to enable student to conduct their own data analyses. This includes familiarizing them with practical aspects of data cleaning/processing and statistical methods used within nutritional epidemiology. 

Short lectures will be given covering selected subjects followed by practical assignments. Assignments will contribute 100% to the final grade. 

Some experience with SPSS, SAS or related softwere in addition to having taken basic course in statistics is desierable, but not required.

Analytics for Biologicals (LYF223F)

The aim of the course is to provide good understanding of various analytical technique and analytical methods, both physicochemical and bioassays, used for research and development, release and stability studies of biological medicines. Qualification and validation of analytical methods. Furthermore, how to set quality target product profile, perform critical quality attribute assessment and critical risk ranking.

Introduction to Systems Biology (LVF601M)

Systems biology is an interdisciplinary field that studies the biological phenomena that emerge from multiple interacting biological elements. Understanding how biological systems change across time is a particular focus of systems biology. In this course, we will prioritize aspects of systems biology relevant to human health and disease.

This course provides an introduction to 1) basic principles in modelling molecular networks, both gene regulatory and metabolic networks; 2) cellular phenomena that support homeostasis like tissue morphogenesis and microbiome resilience, and 3) analysis of molecular patterns found in genomics data at population scale relevant to human disease such as patient classification and biomarker discovery. In this manner, the course covers the three major scales in systems biology: molecules, cells and organisms.

The course activities include reading and interpreting scientific papers, implementation of computational algorithms, working on a research project and presentation of scientific results.

Lectures will comprise of both (1) presentations on foundational concepts and (2) hands-on sessions using Python as the programming language. The course will be taught in English.

Structure and Function of Proteins (LEF616M)

The characteristics of protein structures at the different structural levels. How structure determines the different properties of proteins. Structural classes of proteins and their characteristics. Relationship between molecular structure and biological function. Interactions that determine structural stability of proteins. Protein folding and unfolding. Effects of different parameters, e.g. temperature, pH, salts and denaturants on protein stability. Techniques used for determination structure and different properties proteins. Selected topics in protein structure function relationships.

Course plan: Lectures twice per week (2x40 min. each time). Computer lab once per week (2x40 min.). Lab sessions involve training using the WWW to study proteins. Tutorials and practice of using SwissPDBviewer program for solving specific assignments related to topics covered in lectures.

Reaction Design (EVF202F)

Design of chemical reactors for economical processes and waste minimization. Contacting patterns, kinetics and transport rate effects in single phase and catalytic systems. Another goal of the course is to introduce the fundamentals of mass transfer in chemical engineering such as the mass transfer theory and how to set up differential equations and solve them for such systems.

Food Engineering 2 (MAT803F)

Course Description:

Objective: That students can evaluate food processes and calculate the main variables in different unit operations, plan and control food processes. To make students more capable of making decisions about changes in manufacture and transport processes.

In the lectures, the main food processes are reviewed:

• The effect of holding time and temperature in manufacturing processes and water content and water activity on the quality and properties of foods
• Processing/preservation methods such as chilling, superchilling, freezing and thawing, salting, smoking, heating and canning, drying, evaporation, separation and fermentation. Use of steam tables, enthalpy- and Mollier diagrams.  
• Process flow diagrams/charts by process steps, material flow and balance calculations and risk analysis.
• Processing and packaging equipment and packaging for different foods
• Main parameters of production control.
• Storage conditions (light, humidity, temperature, air composition, etc.) and key factors affecting changes in food during storage, transportation and sale/distribution of food.
• Design considerations for food processing companies and the food value chain. Processing machines, storage methods, technologicalization, logistics and control of environmental factors, packaging, use of raw materials and energy, losses in the food value chain.

Teaching material: textbooks, lectures by teachers and scientific articles.  

The course will be taught in sessions, a total of 7 weeks from March to May. 

Recommended preparation: Food Processing Operations/Food Engineering 1/Fish Processing Technology 1

Food innovation (MAT609M)

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main methods of product development and to train students in the use of consumer-driven methods in the development of food products. Students develop a consumer-oriented product and receive guidance in prototyping methods, selection of raw materials, experimental setup, scale-up, and the regulatory framework that must be followed when creating new foods. Students will also learn how sensory evaluation is used in product development and receive training in sensory evaluation of their own product. 

The development of the product will be made in team (prototyping and entrepreneurial training) but some assignments of the course are individual.  

Subject: 

Fundamentals of food product development.  

What will be discussed: 

• Idea search, idea filtering, prototype development (lecture as well as hands-on work) and scale-up to production  
• The use of experimental design for filtering and optimizing products in product development 
• The use of sensory evaluation in product development 
• The main innovations in environmentally friendly proteins 
• The relationship between food legislation and intellectual property rights in product development  

Real examples of product development at companies will be covered. 

Practical: A product will be developed from an idea to a prototype and presented at the end of the course through an oral presentation.  

Cell Biology II (LÍF614M)

The emphasis is on research articles. Resent research in various field with links to cell biology are included but can vary between years. For each lecture max three research articles are included.

Each student gives a seminar on one research article with details on methods and results. The students write a report (essay) on the article and discusses the results in a critical way.

Examples of topics included in the course: innate immunity, prions, the proteins pontin and reptin, polarized epithelium, development of trachea, data analyses and gene expression, autophagy, the origin of the nucleus.

Fish Processing Technology 1 (VÉL502M)

The role of the fish industry in the Icelandic economy. Fish as raw material, its composition, physical and chemical properties. Fish stocks, fishing gear, selectivity. Storage methods on board and after landing. Processing methods, production process and processing equipment for cooling, superchilling, freezing, salting, drying, canning and shell process. Energy and mass balance for each step in the process and the whole process. 

Marine resources (MAT703F)

Students will gain an insight into the newest research and developments within the marine resources sector, including new product development, technological and processing advances, novel analytical quality assessment techniques, as well as obtain a holistic view of the many aspects affecting seafood processing and handling, all from the effects of catching/harvesting ground to the development of marine products and their effect on the human body during their consumption.

Amongst covered topics are processing novelties and optimization, robotics and automation within seafood processing, technical advances in quality analytics, novelties in product development including 3D food printing from marine resources, fish protein and peptide processing, micro-plastics hazards in the marine food chains, marine bioactive compounds, as well as characterization, processing and product development of marine raw materials and underutilized side streams. 

The course is a mandatory part of the Aquatic Food Production joint Nordic M.Sc. program (www.aqfood.org ).

Water quality (UMV121F)

Industrialization and human development has contributed to degrading water and soil quality. This class explores the lifecycle of key pollutants found in surface water, groundwater and soils:  their source, their fate in the environment, the human exposure pathways, methods to restore (and treat) water and soils in relation sustainable development goals (nr. 14-15: Life below water and on land). The class provides a theoretical foundation for predicting pollution levels in water, and soils.

Topics include: Pollutants found in surface water, groundwater and soils. Transport and dilution of pollutants via advection and diffusion processes. Water stability and wind mixing. Analytical models for predicting pollution levels in rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwater. Particle bound pollution, settling and re-suspension. Gas transfer and oxygen depletion. Chemical degradation of pollutants. Seepage of pollutants through soils. Restoration and remediation of polluted water and land sites.

Teaching is conducted in English in the form of lectures, discussion of local incidents of pollution in Iceland and internationally, and practical research projects. The class will review recent research studies on water and soil pollution in Iceland.

Aquatic Food Primary Production: Fishery and aquaculture (MAT704F)

https://www.nmbu.no/course/AQF200

Aquatic Food Processing and Technology (MAT705F)

https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/courses/BT3110#tab=omEmnet

Safety and human health effects of aquatic food (MAT706F)

http://kurser.dtu.dk/course/2015-2016/23154

Marine Bioactive Compounds (MAT801F)

Marine bioactive compounds is a new exciting and fast growing field withing food science.  Iceland is uniquely positioned regarding raw materials and processing opportunities for marine compounds, and is among leading countries doing research in this area. The goal of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive overview on key marine bioactive compounds, including raw material sources, processing technologies, properties and applications of the compounds along with marketing opportunities and hurdles.  The course is a reading course where the above topics are covered on a weekly basis.  The instructor will assign students with scientific papers and reviews which they critically read.  Students and the instructor meet weekly to generally discuss the papers and the topic assigned in addition to critically discussing the content of the papers, methodology and author conclusions.  Experts from industry will be invited to participate in the discussion of selected topics.  Each week the student will turn in a summary of the papers he reviewed, including his assessment of the papers.  The student will also write an essay on a selected topic connected to marine bioactive ingredients which he returns at the end of the course.  The course is taught over a whole semester.

Ecological innovation in Food Science (MAT612M)

The course is in collaboration with the Confederation of Icelandic Industries (Samtök iðnaðarins) and Matís ohf. 

The main goal of the course is to develop a new food product from start to finish by prototyping the product, design its packaging, develop a marketing strategy, understand and identify the production of it and build a robust business model with sustainability at its core. The final work of each team could become the next new product and be presented at the European competition Ecotrophelia.  

The course is based on group work and collaboration between students. It is expected from students to work in a team and share tasks to be able to complete the requirements of the course. Guidance will be provided on creating and working in teams. Students from different background are taking this course hence teacher will make sure that each team have the good set of skills per team (e.i students who have received instruction and training in different aspects of product development). 

It is asked to the students to develop a prototype of the new food product. Support and working space will be made available for the students to use. A small financial support is also provided for the product development for each team.  

Lectures on the different notion like marketing plan, packaging design and business model creation will be carried out by the teachers or through guest lecturer specialist in their own field. Students will be prepared for their final presentation (pitch).  

Sponsorship and collaboration from different Icelandic companies in the food sector are a possibility for this course. More details on the condition will be presented at the beginning of the course.  

Matís ohf. provides expert assistance and assistance in the development and preparation of sample copies. 

The final assignment is in two parts. First, the submission of a detailed report per team on the product developed, the business plan, sales and marketing and the ecological aspect of the product (sustainability of the ingredients, packaging, design, production...).  

Second, each team will present their final product and business plan to a jury for the innovation competition Ecotrophelia Iceland, through an oral presentation. The pitch event is in collaboration with Samtök iðnaðarins. The winning team will then have the chance and opportunity to represent Iceland at the European competition of Ecotrophelia. Participating in the European competition is optional and up to the students but the oral presentation is mandatory.  More information on the competition here: www.ecotrophelia.eu  

For students in food science, it is highly recommended to take this course along with MAT609M – Food product development as knowledge and skills can be acquired and combine for both courses.  

For students from other studies: you are more than welcome to take this class as diversity and skills from other fields are key to a successful food product development. Read this to be convinced (https://shorturl.at/opxH3 or this https://shorturl.at/boHM8 ) 

Fish Processing Technology 2 (VÉL601M)

The main goal of the course is to train students to use their knowledge from various fields in mechanical engineering to organize and design fish processing plants and companies. Design requirements and design of production processes for fresh fish, frozen fish, dried fish, fish meal and canning plants. Production management, productivity estimates, quality control, wage structure, etc. for such companies. Heat and mass balances, steady and time dependent heat transfer, utilization of Heisler- and Mollier charts.

Exercises: Fish processing company or certain processes are analyzed and/or redesigned.

Food Engineering 2 (MAT803F)

Course Description:

Objective: That students can evaluate food processes and calculate the main variables in different unit operations, plan and control food processes. To make students more capable of making decisions about changes in manufacture and transport processes.

In the lectures, the main food processes are reviewed:

• The effect of holding time and temperature in manufacturing processes and water content and water activity on the quality and properties of foods
• Processing/preservation methods such as chilling, superchilling, freezing and thawing, salting, smoking, heating and canning, drying, evaporation, separation and fermentation. Use of steam tables, enthalpy- and Mollier diagrams.  
• Process flow diagrams/charts by process steps, material flow and balance calculations and risk analysis.
• Processing and packaging equipment and packaging for different foods
• Main parameters of production control.
• Storage conditions (light, humidity, temperature, air composition, etc.) and key factors affecting changes in food during storage, transportation and sale/distribution of food.
• Design considerations for food processing companies and the food value chain. Processing machines, storage methods, technologicalization, logistics and control of environmental factors, packaging, use of raw materials and energy, losses in the food value chain.

Teaching material: textbooks, lectures by teachers and scientific articles.  

The course will be taught in sessions, a total of 7 weeks from March to May. 

Recommended preparation: Food Processing Operations/Food Engineering 1/Fish Processing Technology 1

Life Cycle Assessment (UAU215F)

Goals: Students should be able to apply the Life Cycle Assessment methodology to calculate the environmental impacts of products, production systems and services to identify and assess environmental impact. Students will learn to give recommendations on how to reduce environmental impacts based on a hot-spot analysis of the evaluated product, production system or service, and deliver results including sensitivity analysis.

Last but not least, students will be trained in the systems thinking competency, one of key competencies for sustainability.

Content: The course teaches the analysis of products and product systems from cradle to grave using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework as defined by 14040/14044:2006 ISO standards. LCA is used to assess the environmental impact of a specific product, production system and services. The reason for doing LCA is commonly to compare different products, product systems or services based on environmental impact. Additionally, the goal is often to identify where in a life cycle most of the impacts are occurring so that e.g. eco-design can be applied in development of new products, or if production methods are to be changed with the aim of reducing environmental impacts. In the course, students will learn to analyse systems from cradle-to-grave, from defining goal and scope, calculate e.g. raw material consumption and emissions to the environment (air, water and soil) to interpretation of results and application of sensitivity analysis. Different methods for conducting LCAs will also be introduced along with LCA calculation software and  related databases to support the analysis. Course evaluation is based on participation in class, and both individual and group assignments.

This course contributes to increase student competencies  within SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Teaching methods: It is taught with lectures, in class assignments, and individual and group projects.

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

MS-Research project (MAT441L)

Research project

Herbal Remedies/Natural Products (LYF310F)

The course covers the most commonly used herbal remedies/natural products with the aim of enhancing communication skills of students in conveying reliable information to consumers and other health-care professionals. Aspects covered include constituents claimed benefits, scientific research on efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, contraindications. Quality control. Laws, executive orders on herbal remedies.

Of Microbes and Men: Microbes, Culture, Health, and Environment (MON002M)

Course Description

What can the making of the old Icelandic dairy product “skyr” tell us about how Icelandic society has developed for more than a thousand years? How does the microbiome affect health? How do we dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly way within an urban context and what silent majority of earthlings makes it happen? Microbial communities have shaped the earth and its inhabitants for eons, from the dawn of life on earth. To better understand and deal with the environmental, health, and social challenges of the 21st century, we need to better understand these first organisms and the symbiosis between them and other species, including humans. Recent studies reveal that more than half of the cells in our bodies belong to a variety of microbial species. Does that mean humans are microbes, or “merely” that our relationship with microbes is the strongest and most intimate relationship we have with others? The course invites students to explore the symbiotic practices of microbes and humans from various angles, from microbiology and ethnology, food and nutrition sciences and anthropology. Special attention will be given to the role of microbes in developing and preserving food in human societies, as well as their role in digestion, and how these roles are connected to human mental and physical health. The course also explores how microbes sustain vital nutrient cycles and their ability to transform garbage and waste into healthy soil.

The course works with the concept of „One Health“ which has been in development for the past couple of decades. One Health is a transdisciplinary and collaborative paradigm that recognizes the shared environment and interconnection between people, animals, plants and microbes. The approach promotes health and wellbeing for humans, animals and the environment, emphasizing coordination, communication, and joint efforts across disciplines. The topic will be explored through different examples of microbial-human relations such as how microbes affect the taste of food  and its composition, how diets affect gut microbiota, the role of fermentation in shaping microbial-human relations and how urban waste management disrupts nutrition cycles in the human environment. 

Nutritional epidemiology (NÆR701F)

The aim of the course is to increase students‘ understanding of the main research methods in nutritional epidemiology and to enhance students‘ ability to understand nutrigenomics.

The course will cover the basics of epidemiology and nutritional epidemiology.  Methodology in nutritional epidemiology will be covered in depth and special topics in this field introduced.  The field nutrigenomics will be explained.    

Biochemistry 3 (LEF501M)

Practical class with accompanying lectures where practical and theoretical aspects of the experiments are discussed. Enzyme purification by hydrophobic, ion-exchange, affinity and gel filtration chromatography. Gel electrophoresis. Enzyme kinetics and inhibitors. Specific chemical modification of enzymes. Thermal stability of proteins. Ligand-protein interactions. Immunoprecipitation. Restriction enzymes and agarose electrophoresis.  Bioinformatics by computer.

Practical projects:
The following laboratory sessions are performed: Enzyme kinetics and the effect of inhibitors. Purification of enzymes by hydrophobic interactions, ion-exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, and gel-filtration. Electrophoresis of protein and nucleic acids. Stability of proteins toward heating and urea/guanidinium assessed by activity measurements, UV-absorbance and circular dichroism. Determination of activation enery (Ea) and Gibb’s free energy. Specific reactions of amino acid side-chains in proteins for determining number of disulfide bonds and thiol groups. Action of reactive compounds as proteinase inhibitors differentiating between serine and cysteine proteases. Digestion of DNA by restriction enzymes and melting of DNA under various conditions that affect its stability. Preparation of samples for mass spectrometry by trypsin digestion and spotting of samples for MALDI-MS. Fingerprint identification using the computer program and database of Mascot. Bioinformatics and analysis of protein structures on the computer screen (e.q. BLAST, DeepView).

Global health (MAN0A3F)

Global health priorities are the focus of this course. The global burden of disease across countries will be scrutinized, as well as inequality and other important socio-economic determinants of health in a globalized world. Particular focus will be given to maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health from a global perspective, as well as health systems designed to provide good and timely services. Global nutritional challenges and mental health issues will be discussed as well as prevention and impact of infectious diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cholera, Ebola and COVID-19. Other subjects for discussion and analysis with importance for health include violence, environment, culture, disaster and complex emergencies, as well as ethical issues. In addition, the work and policies of international institutions and development organizations will be discussed, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Science communication and thesis writing (UAU116F)

The course will cover how to structure and write a research thesis. Challenges of writing a thesis will be discussed, as well as tips to finding thesis rules and templates from the different faculties. Techniques of how to write scientific papers and literature reviews will be presented. Students will practice writing an abstract and giving an oral presentation about their thesis research. This course is taught every semester and is a required course for each ENR student to complete before graduation.

Students must have their thesis proposal ready prior to taking the course, and begun writing their master’s thesis.

Student registers for Science communication and thesis writing (UAU116F or UAU244F) either at spring semester or autumn semester, it’s not allowed to take both.

Research and patents (VON101F)

This course focuses on Intellectual Property Rights namely patents, patentability, patent applications, patent search and the patent process. After the course, the students should be able to do a simple patent search, with the aim of gaining knowledge on prior art and to be able conclude if their research is patentable or not. The course is taught in a day.

The course is open to all graduate students at UI

Logistics & Environmental Engineering (IÐN510M)

The course focuses on the principles of logistics and supply management and gives a broad introduction to the field. The course is divided into three topics primarily. It covers purchase operations of services and inventory management. This part is followed by looking into transportation and distribution management. Finally, the environmental impacts of logistics is studies and all the three parts put together into a view of sustainability. The course consists of lectures, exercises, game (the Beer Game) and a management simulation game to give hands on experience on logistics management,

Aquatic Food Primary Production: Fishery and aquaculture (MAT704F)

https://www.nmbu.no/course/AQF200

Marine resources (MAT703F)

Students will gain an insight into the newest research and developments within the marine resources sector, including new product development, technological and processing advances, novel analytical quality assessment techniques, as well as obtain a holistic view of the many aspects affecting seafood processing and handling, all from the effects of catching/harvesting ground to the development of marine products and their effect on the human body during their consumption.

Amongst covered topics are processing novelties and optimization, robotics and automation within seafood processing, technical advances in quality analytics, novelties in product development including 3D food printing from marine resources, fish protein and peptide processing, micro-plastics hazards in the marine food chains, marine bioactive compounds, as well as characterization, processing and product development of marine raw materials and underutilized side streams. 

The course is a mandatory part of the Aquatic Food Production joint Nordic M.Sc. program (www.aqfood.org ).

Climate Change (UAU107M)

Climate change is a global issue and one of the more challenging environmental problems of the present and near future. Since 1992 there have been many meetings and agreement under the auspices of the United Nations.

This course will cover the topic of climate change from several angles. Starting with the basic evidence and science behind climate change and modeling of future scenarios, then through impacts and vulnerability to efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Issues such as climate refugees, gender aspects and negotiations are addressed.

Grading is based on a writing assignment, short quiz, course participation and presentations, in addition to group assignments where mitigation, future scenarios and basic processes are examined further. Students taking this course generally have very different backgrounds and you will have a chance to learn about climate change from different viewpoints.

Aquatic Food Processing and Technology (MAT705F)

https://www.ntnu.edu/studies/courses/BT3110#tab=omEmnet

Microbial biotechnology (LÍF534M)

This course introduces biotechnology-based applications of microbes and their enzymes. The first part provides fundamental microbiology such as the classification of microorganisms, their structure, metabolism, growth and functional characteristics, handling and identification. The content of the first part will be emphasized with practical sessions, discussions and written assignments and is the foundation for more specific topics.

The second part will introduce different fields of microbial biotechnology and how they have been shaped by recent progress in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry. State of the art will be covered regarding subjects such as microbial diversity as a resource of enzymes and biocompounds; bioprospecting, thermophiles, marine microbes and microalgae, biorefineries (emphasis on seaweed and lignocellulose), enzymes (emphasis on carbohydrate active enzymes), metabolic engineering (genetic engineering, omics), energy-biotechnology, cultivation and fermentation technology. The course will exemplify Icelandic biotechnology where applicable. The subject will be presented in lectures and students will be trained in reading original research papers on selected topics in the field; Cultivation/production technology and yeast will be presented specifically in practical sessions in the brewing of beer.

This course is partly taught in parallel with Microbiology II (LÍF533M) and intended for students that have neither completed Microbiology (LÍF201G) nor a similar course. Students must complete the first part of the course before participating in the latter. The number of participants might be restricted.

Additional teaching one saturday in end of September or beginning of October.

Food Engineering (MAT507M)

The course objectives are to teach students the fundamentals of food engineering and unit operations of food processing. This includes the setup and application of material and energy balances, learning the basics of the thermodynamics and heat transfer, fluid properties and the effects of pressure drop and friction in flow in food processes. The course syllabus combines activities in the form of lectures and calculation exercises on the diverse unit operations of food processing.

Text book and other reading material

1. Introduction to food engineering, 5th edition, 2013. Singh, Paul and Heldman, Dennis.

https://www.elsevier.com/books/introduction-to-food-engineering/singh/978-0-12-398530-9 Links to an external site. 

Paul Singh's youtube channel:

https://youtube.com/@RPaulSinghLinks to an external site.  

2. Lecture slides, scientific articles, and other reading material provided by the course teachers.

Management in biomedical science (LEI105F)

Items for discussions are:

Quality management in health services, including concepts like accreditation, certification, quality standards and quality manuals.

Safety management, including safety of the work environment, and data safety
Environmental management according to ISO 14000
Knowledge management and information systems
Change management
Project management
Financial management
Human resource management

Advanced Food Chemistry (MAT505M)

The goal of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of food chemistry.  The chemical and physical properties of macromolecules in foods (proteins, carbohydrates and fats), their food applications, degradation, reactions and procedures to maintain their functionality and shelf-life will be covered. The composition and structure of nutritional compounds and their interactions in foods will be reviewed.  The role of water and water activity on food shelf-life and quality will be discussed.  The course will review enzyme reactions in food and kinetics, their application in the food industry and actions to minimize undesirable enzyme activities in food systems.  Methods to incorporate bioactive molecules into foods and ways to maintain their activity will be presented. The chemistry of colorants, preservatives and antioxidants and their applications in the food industry will be discussed.  Key methods used in food chemistry research will be presented to the students.  The information presented in the course on different components of food and their properties will be connected to real practical examples connected to food product development and processing. The course is a reading course with practical sessions. Classes will focus on discussion session to enhance student understanding of the subject.

Introduction to Environment and Natural Resources (UAU102F)

The increase in human numbers and the scale of economic activity has put humans in a position to greatly influence environmental and resource change. Explaining the extent and impact of this influence or selecting and designing appropriate management methods is well beyond the theory and analytical tools of individual disciplines, such as economics, ecology, social or physical sciences. Before introducing the perspective and tools of various disciplines students must have at a minimum a basic understanding of the driving forces behind in addition to the physical and ecological principles of environmental and resource change. The aim of this course is to provide such a background. Some of the topics covered are:the ecological footprint, population growth, economic growth, technology and the environment, natural capital and ecosystem services, diversity as a resource, soil degradation, Pollution and health, Air, water and soil pollution. Climate change and ozone depletion. Urban smog and pollution from heavy industry. Municipal and hazardous waste. Freshwater resources, Marine resources. Forests and wetlands. Energy resources and Energy and the environment.

Development cooperation: Approaches and Institutions. Reading course. (MAN018F)

This course treats the debate on aid effectiveness, and institutions and actors within international aid, approaches to development cooperation, and their strengths and weaknesses. Multilateral institutions, bilateral donors, non-governmental organizations and emerging donors will be presented. Important approaches to aid, such as project support, sector-wide approach, budget support, result-based management, participatory methods and gender sensitive approaches will be introduced. as well as challenges in environmental and resource management and disaster aid.

Note: The course is only open to students that are yet to complete this course as a mandatory option, i.e. students registered for a postgraduate diploma in Development studies or Global health, and Global study MA-students with development studies as area of specialization.

Management in biomedical science (LEI105F)

Items for discussions are:

Quality management in health services, including concepts like accreditation, certification, quality standards and quality manuals.

Safety management, including safety of the work environment, and data safety
Environmental management according to ISO 14000
Knowledge management and information systems
Change management
Project management
Financial management
Human resource management

Automatic Control Systems (VÉL504G)

Methods of classical automatic control systems. System models represented by transfer functions and state equations, simulation. System time and frequency responses. Properties of feedback control systems, stability, sensitivity, disturbance rejection, error coefficients. Stability analysis, Routh's stability criterion. Analysis and design using root-locus, lead, lag and PID controllers. Analysis and design in the frequency domain, lead, lag and PID compensators. Computer controlled systems, A/D and D/A converters, transformations of continuous controllers to discrete form. Analysis and design of digital control systems.

Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (LYF122F)

The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of fundamental concepts in development and production of biotechnological based drugs (biologics). The production process for biologics manufactured via mammalian cell lines will be covered as well as the required analytical methods for their characterization. The following types of biologics will be covered: Antibodies (traditional and monoclonal), peptide-based drugs and protein-based drugs. The concept of quality by design (QbD) will be explained in addition to good manufacturing practice (GMP) that is required for biologis marketed within the EU/EEA (EU GMP Annex 2). Safety and toxicological profiles of biologics will also be discussed. Lastly, new methods releated to therapeutical applications of biologics will be discussed, including gene therapy and nuclotides. This course is based on a cooperation with experts within the biotechnology industry in Iceland.

Introduction to Research Studies and the Scientific Community (LÍF128F)

Introduction to Research Studies and the Scientific Community for M.sc. and Ph.D. students. The scientific community. Ethical, professional and practical information for research students. The research student's rights and responsibilities. Career opportunities. Lab safety and professionalism. Scientific method, conflict of interest and proper scientific conduct. What you can expect and not expect from supervisors. Duties and responsibilities of graduate students. Experimental design and how to write and publish results. Bibliographic software, tables and figure presentation. Techniques for poster and oral presentations. Writing scientific papers. Writing science proposals.

Grant writing and opportunities, cover letters, publishing environment and options. Thesis completion and responsibilities around graduation.

Format. Lectures, practicals, student projects and reviewing. Indvidual and group projects.

The course is run over 11 weeks in the fall.

Laboratory safety (LYF110G)

Students will be familiar with laboratory safety such as chemical safety, how to handle chemical spills and chemical accidents and first aid. Practical training will occur in one of the laboratories and it will end with a fire extinguishing training. 

The course is always in the beginning of the semester, before other courses start.

This course is a prerequisite for all laboratory work, so it is important to participate in this course. 

Fish Processing Technology 1 (VÉL502M)

The role of the fish industry in the Icelandic economy. Fish as raw material, its composition, physical and chemical properties. Fish stocks, fishing gear, selectivity. Storage methods on board and after landing. Processing methods, production process and processing equipment for cooling, superchilling, freezing, salting, drying, canning and shell process. Energy and mass balance for each step in the process and the whole process. 

Practical Bioinformatics (LEI106F)

Basic concepts in bioinformatics will be covered and the main databases for DNA/RNA and amino acid sequences introduced. Different methods of bioinformatics will be discussed such as sequence comparison and searches in protein and DNA/RNA databases. An introduction will be given to sequence comparison and evolutionary biology. An emphasis will be put on students knowing and being able to use the main protein/DNA databases. Also, there will be an introduction to computer programs used in bioinformatics work.

Teaching will take place with lectures and practical problem solving. The course is designed to be practical; assignments must be finished throughout the semester and will thus require the active participation of the student.

Corporate Environmental Management (UAU108F)

This course seeks to explore the responsibility of companies towards the environment. Active participation of students is required by analysing issues related to companies, the natural environment and various stakeholders, but that is for instance done through a simulation and case studies.

The aim of the course is to create an understanding of and teach students to choose and employ the necessary tools to assess goals and make decisions when it comes to environmental and resource management in the context of sustainable development. Among the tools used are the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the UN Global Compact, the Global Reporting Initiative and more.

The course is divided into three parts. In part one, we will explore the origins and meaning of corporate liability. The second part focuses on how to manage and implement corporate responsibility. In the third part, we will learn about corporate responsibility from the perspective of impact, criticism, and future prospects.

At a minimum, the successful completion of this course assumes that students have acquired a theoretical understanding of the subject, are able to apply the methods that have been taught and are literate in case of information related to companies and their environmental issues, outcomes, and impacts.

Food Processing Operations (MAT504M)

The main processing methods used for common food materials will be discussed including: Fruits and vegetable processing with emphasis on Tomatoes, Potatoes and Mushrooms. Grain processing and Milling with including wet milling and rice parboiling, frozen dough and other baked goods, pasta and breakfast cereals. Milk and dairy processing. Eggs and processing procedures. Fats and oil processing. Food emulsions. Beverages including; orange juice, soda, bier, wine, coffee processing and tee. Confectionery and chocolate products and processing and sugar based confections. The processing of foods to the most common consumer products will be discussed and the main equipment used will be described.

Sustainability education and leadership (SFG003F)

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with opportunities to work with institutional and systems approaches in working with sustainability and sustainability education with regards to institution and/or systems. Classes are online and built on informed debate and active participation (80% attendance). Few written major assignments will be expected together with student participation. 

To pass the course students need to get minimum grade 5,0 for each assignment and fulfil obligatory attendance and participation in classes. Further information and instructions will be on Canvas (the learning environment).

Examples of issues to be dealt with:

• Education for sustainability in formal and informal settings (e.g. in workplaces)
• Leadership for sustainability (e.g. whole school or leisure activity change)
• Relations between science and sustainability (e.g. tactic/principle)
• Wicked problems
• Rural development and sustainability
• Creating shared values (including corporate social responsibility) 
• Curriculum change

Sustainable Development, Environmental Policy and Resource Management (UAU101F)

Various incentives, policies and management initiatives are used to influence human behavior, to limit the ecological footprint (EF), and to promote sustainable development. This course focuses on environmental and resource management and policy - in the context of sustainable development (SD). The course is broken to three sessions. In the first session we assess the concept SD from various perspectives - followed by an attempt to operationalize the concept. We compare the concepts growth and SD and ask if the two are compatible and discuss sustainability indicators. In the second session we critically examine various tools that are frequently used in environmental and resource decision-making, such as formal decision analysis, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis in addition to valuing ecosystem services. In the third session we examine the ideological foundations behind environmental and resource policy, and assess various policy and management initiatives for diverse situations in a comparative international context. Examples are much based on student interests but possible examples include bottle-deposit systems, ITQ's, voluntary approaches and multi-criteria management.

Introduction to Pharmaceutical Sciences (LYF107M)

Pharmaceutical sciences is a versatile field that integrates diverse disciplines such as organic chemistry, biology and biochemistry to understand how we can develope new drugs that can improve current therapies or be first in line as a treatment. Thus, studies on their physicochemical properties, their formulation into suitable drug and their action inside the human body is needed. In this course we aim to provide the overview of this field in a comprehensive way. This course is aimed towards students with no background in pharmacy/pharmaceutical sciences.

Food Processing Operations (MAT504M)

The main processing methods used for common food materials will be discussed including: Fruits and vegetable processing with emphasis on Tomatoes, Potatoes and Mushrooms. Grain processing and Milling with including wet milling and rice parboiling, frozen dough and other baked goods, pasta and breakfast cereals. Milk and dairy processing. Eggs and processing procedures. Fats and oil processing. Food emulsions. Beverages including; orange juice, soda, bier, wine, coffee processing and tee. Confectionery and chocolate products and processing and sugar based confections. The processing of foods to the most common consumer products will be discussed and the main equipment used will be described.

Advanced Food Chemistry (MAT505M)

The goal of the course is to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of food chemistry.  The chemical and physical properties of macromolecules in foods (proteins, carbohydrates and fats), their food applications, degradation, reactions and procedures to maintain their functionality and shelf-life will be covered. The composition and structure of nutritional compounds and their interactions in foods will be reviewed.  The role of water and water activity on food shelf-life and quality will be discussed.  The course will review enzyme reactions in food and kinetics, their application in the food industry and actions to minimize undesirable enzyme activities in food systems.  Methods to incorporate bioactive molecules into foods and ways to maintain their activity will be presented. The chemistry of colorants, preservatives and antioxidants and their applications in the food industry will be discussed.  Key methods used in food chemistry research will be presented to the students.  The information presented in the course on different components of food and their properties will be connected to real practical examples connected to food product development and processing. The course is a reading course with practical sessions. Classes will focus on discussion session to enhance student understanding of the subject.

Food Engineering (MAT507M)

The course objectives are to teach students the fundamentals of food engineering and unit operations of food processing. This includes the setup and application of material and energy balances, learning the basics of the thermodynamics and heat transfer, fluid properties and the effects of pressure drop and friction in flow in food processes. The course syllabus combines activities in the form of lectures and calculation exercises on the diverse unit operations of food processing.

Text book and other reading material

1. Introduction to food engineering, 5th edition, 2013. Singh, Paul and Heldman, Dennis.

https://www.elsevier.com/books/introduction-to-food-engineering/singh/978-0-12-398530-9 Links to an external site. 

Paul Singh's youtube channel:

https://youtube.com/@RPaulSinghLinks to an external site.  

2. Lecture slides, scientific articles, and other reading material provided by the course teachers.

Current Topics in Food Sciences (MAT702F)

Objectives:
To inform students about the latest research, policies and developments related to food processing and engineering and teach them to read in depth scientific articles and other information in a critical way and participate in discussions and present their opinion in a systematic way. 

Arrangement: 
The course is structured as a reading course where the latest topics and research related to food processing and engineering are covered.   Different aspects of processing and engineering will be addressed each week, e.g. new processing methods, product development, nanotechnology, transport technology, green production technology, new processing equipment, traceability, etc.  Students receive weekly scientific and / or summary articles, which they read in detail with a critical mind.  Students and teachers meet weekly to discuss the general topic presented, as well as the content of the articles, methodology and authors' conclusions.  Students, teachers, and guests will give presentations.  The teacher will, with the active participation of the students, peer-review selected articles in the class with the aim of teaching the students the methodology of scientific peer-review. The student submits a short report weekly on the scientific articles he has read, together with his assessment of them.  At the end of the course, each student is presented with one scientific article that he or she is asked to peer review in detail, as if it were a review of a new unpublished article. The student submits this peer review at the end of the course. The course is taught over two full semesters a total of 30 sessions.

Health behaviour and food choice (ÍÞH036M)

This course concerns health behaviour in general. The health behaviour of different age groups will be addressed as well as the association between biological factors, health behaviour and social status. How can behaviour, coping and stress affect health? Behaviour in relations to food and consumption habits is of particular interest. How is it possible to shape healthy habits from childhood, for example to influence food choice and overcome pickiness about food? Societal influence and the part of media is also addressed. The course literature is from various books and scientific articles from different fields and is intended to capture the subject in an interdisciplinary manner.

Seminar in Applied Biotechnology (ILT201F)

The open seminar series in applied biotechnology is aimed to bring academia and industry within the field of biotechnology together in a forum held on a broad basis. Example of subjects:

• Biopharmaceuticals.
• Bio-process design.
• Cell and algae culturing.
• From test tubes to products (upscaling).
• Medical and analytical biotech.
• Ethics in biotech.
• Marketing of biotech products.
• Food biotech.
• Biofuels and bio-based chemicals.
• Biotechnology in agriculture.

Students of Applied Biotechnology must complete the course twice (fall or spring semester). 

Molecular Genetics (LÍF644M)

Lectures: The molecular basis of life (chemical bonds, biological molecules, structure of DNA, RNA and proteins). Genomes and the flow of biological information. Chromosome structure and function, chromatin and nucleosomes. The cell cycle, DNA replication. Chromosome segregaition, Transcription. Regulation of transcription. RNA processing. Translation. Regulation of translation. Regulatory RNAs. Protein modification and targeting. DNA damage, checkpoints and DNA repair mechanisms. Repair of DNA double-strand breaks and homologous recombination. Mobile DNA elements. Tools and techniques in molecular Biology icluding Model organisms.

Seminar: Students present and discuss selected research papers and hand in a short essay.

Laboratory work: Work on molecular genetics project relevant to current research. Basic methods such as gene cloning, gene transfer and expression, PCR, sequencing, DNA isolation and restriction analysis, electrophoresis of DNA and proteins will be used.

Exam: Laboratory 10%, seminar 15%, written final exam 75%.

Introduction to Systems Biology (LVF601M)

Systems biology is an interdisciplinary field that studies the biological phenomena that emerge from multiple interacting biological elements. Understanding how biological systems change across time is a particular focus of systems biology. In this course, we will prioritize aspects of systems biology relevant to human health and disease.

This course provides an introduction to 1) basic principles in modelling molecular networks, both gene regulatory and metabolic networks; 2) cellular phenomena that support homeostasis like tissue morphogenesis and microbiome resilience, and 3) analysis of molecular patterns found in genomics data at population scale relevant to human disease such as patient classification and biomarker discovery. In this manner, the course covers the three major scales in systems biology: molecules, cells and organisms.

The course activities include reading and interpreting scientific papers, implementation of computational algorithms, working on a research project and presentation of scientific results.

Lectures will comprise of both (1) presentations on foundational concepts and (2) hands-on sessions using Python as the programming language. The course will be taught in English.

Reaction Design (EVF202F)

Design of chemical reactors for economical processes and waste minimization. Contacting patterns, kinetics and transport rate effects in single phase and catalytic systems. Another goal of the course is to introduce the fundamentals of mass transfer in chemical engineering such as the mass transfer theory and how to set up differential equations and solve them for such systems.

Food innovation (MAT609M)

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main methods of product development and to train students in the use of consumer-driven methods in the development of food products. Students develop a consumer-oriented product and receive guidance in prototyping methods, selection of raw materials, experimental setup, scale-up, and the regulatory framework that must be followed when creating new foods. Students will also learn how sensory evaluation is used in product development and receive training in sensory evaluation of their own product. 

The development of the product will be made in team (prototyping and entrepreneurial training) but some assignments of the course are individual.  

Subject: 

Fundamentals of food product development.  

What will be discussed: 

• Idea search, idea filtering, prototype development (lecture as well as hands-on work) and scale-up to production  
• The use of experimental design for filtering and optimizing products in product development 
• The use of sensory evaluation in product development 
• The main innovations in environmentally friendly proteins 
• The relationship between food legislation and intellectual property rights in product development  

Real examples of product development at companies will be covered. 

Practical: A product will be developed from an idea to a prototype and presented at the end of the course through an oral presentation.  

Analytics for Biologicals (LYF223F)

The aim of the course is to provide good understanding of various analytical technique and analytical methods, both physicochemical and bioassays, used for research and development, release and stability studies of biological medicines. Qualification and validation of analytical methods. Furthermore, how to set quality target product profile, perform critical quality attribute assessment and critical risk ranking.

Cell Biology II (LÍF614M)

The emphasis is on research articles. Resent research in various field with links to cell biology are included but can vary between years. For each lecture max three research articles are included.

Each student gives a seminar on one research article with details on methods and results. The students write a report (essay) on the article and discusses the results in a critical way.

Examples of topics included in the course: innate immunity, prions, the proteins pontin and reptin, polarized epithelium, development of trachea, data analyses and gene expression, autophagy, the origin of the nucleus.

Food Safety Management (MAT616M)

•      The course focuses on key elements involved in managing quality and safety of food, including production intended for international trade.  Lectures will cover Food Safety and Quality requirements in International trade, regional and national regulatory framework aimed at ensuring food safety and certification.  EU and USA legal framework. National control plans (residual plans, audit plans, structure of control).  Risk assessment.  Food chain risks.  Contingency plans for feed, food and animal health.  Good Manufacturing Practices / Good Agriculture Practices / Good Hygiene Practices.  Hazard Analysis Critical Control (HACCP).  Sampling, monitoring, surveillance, analytical criteria and limits for evaluation of food safety results.  Traceability and Food Safety.  Accreditation of testing laboratories.  Internal and external audits at official and private level. Codex International guidelines. Quality Assurance Management (ISO-9000, ISO-14000, ISO-22000).    Buyer’s specification.

•      Practical’s cover 1) installation of HACCP systems and validation of the systems, 2) Internal and external verification of Food Safety and Quality at Food Business Operators, 3) student assignments on current topics in Food Control and Inspection.

•      Course plan: Lectures, discussions and other practical work on subjects related to the course material. Active participation of students is required. Student projects: Reading and presentation of scientific papers from international journals and material connected to the lectures

Life Cycle Assessment (UAU215F)

Goals: Students should be able to apply the Life Cycle Assessment methodology to calculate the environmental impacts of products, production systems and services to identify and assess environmental impact. Students will learn to give recommendations on how to reduce environmental impacts based on a hot-spot analysis of the evaluated product, production system or service, and deliver results including sensitivity analysis.

Last but not least, students will be trained in the systems thinking competency, one of key competencies for sustainability.

Content: The course teaches the analysis of products and product systems from cradle to grave using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework as defined by 14040/14044:2006 ISO standards. LCA is used to assess the environmental impact of a specific product, production system and services. The reason for doing LCA is commonly to compare different products, product systems or services based on environmental impact. Additionally, the goal is often to identify where in a life cycle most of the impacts are occurring so that e.g. eco-design can be applied in development of new products, or if production methods are to be changed with the aim of reducing environmental impacts. In the course, students will learn to analyse systems from cradle-to-grave, from defining goal and scope, calculate e.g. raw material consumption and emissions to the environment (air, water and soil) to interpretation of results and application of sensitivity analysis. Different methods for conducting LCAs will also be introduced along with LCA calculation software and  related databases to support the analysis. Course evaluation is based on participation in class, and both individual and group assignments.

This course contributes to increase student competencies  within SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Teaching methods: It is taught with lectures, in class assignments, and individual and group projects.

Environmental Governance (UAU201F)

In some settings, humans interact with the environment and use natural resources sustainably, but not in others. What explains such differences arising from human-environment interactions is the role of governance. Environmental governance can in its most basic form be understood as a social function centered on efforts to steer or guide the action of humans – being an individual, a small local user groups or the international community – towards desired outcomes and away from outcomes regarded as undesirable (Young, 2013).

This course has a focus on the introduction and understanding of different dimensions of environmental and natural resources governance in the context of sustainability.

It is divided into four interconnected sections:

1. Environmental Governance: The basics. What is governance? The environment as an arena for coordination and conflict. How do we understand actors, their roles and decision making? Power and power relations. Institutions and institutional change. Social-ecological systems. Governance structures. Public goods.
2. International and Domestic Environmental Governance. International environmental governance and institutions, e.g. EU, UN, UN Environment, FAO, World Bank etc. North-South issues. Environmental regimes; ozone, climate change, desertification, etc. Synergies. Introduction to environmental governance in Iceland and how it relates to decision-making with regard to environment and resources. Governance structure, central, local decision-making. Relationship between various levels of governance, parliament, ministries, agencies.
3. Public Responsibility and the Environment. Public participation. How can the public affect decision-making? Domestic and international environmental Non-governmental organizations.
4. Corporate Governance in the sustainability context. This part of the course focuses on corporate governance, such as outlined in the Nasdaq Corporate Governance Guidelines in the context of corporate sustainability. Relevant to the discussion is fiduciary duty, the ESRS Governance Standards (ESRS 1 and 2; ESRS G1), the SDGs 8-10, 12, 13, 17, the UN Global Compact Principle number 10, GRI Universal Standards and 200 Series, the Economic layer canvas, and more.

Food Engineering 2 (MAT803F)

Course Description:

Objective: That students can evaluate food processes and calculate the main variables in different unit operations, plan and control food processes. To make students more capable of making decisions about changes in manufacture and transport processes.

In the lectures, the main food processes are reviewed:

• The effect of holding time and temperature in manufacturing processes and water content and water activity on the quality and properties of foods
• Processing/preservation methods such as chilling, superchilling, freezing and thawing, salting, smoking, heating and canning, drying, evaporation, separation and fermentation. Use of steam tables, enthalpy- and Mollier diagrams.  
• Process flow diagrams/charts by process steps, material flow and balance calculations and risk analysis.
• Processing and packaging equipment and packaging for different foods
• Main parameters of production control.
• Storage conditions (light, humidity, temperature, air composition, etc.) and key factors affecting changes in food during storage, transportation and sale/distribution of food.
• Design considerations for food processing companies and the food value chain. Processing machines, storage methods, technologicalization, logistics and control of environmental factors, packaging, use of raw materials and energy, losses in the food value chain.

Teaching material: textbooks, lectures by teachers and scientific articles.  

The course will be taught in sessions, a total of 7 weeks from March to May. 

Recommended preparation: Food Processing Operations/Food Engineering 1/Fish Processing Technology 1

Stem cells and differentiation (LÆK028F)

To introduce stem cell research to graduate students in the biomedical sciences, provide an overview of how stem cells can be applied for therapeutic use and to advance our understanding of tissue architecture and disease progression.

In this course we will discuss different stem cell systems and dissect the current knowledge of how these cells maintain self-renewal and/or proceed to differentiation. During the course students will gain insight into both embryonic and somatic stem cell research including hematopoietic, mesenchymal and various epithelial stem cell populations. Furthermore, we will discuss the therapeutic importance of various stem cells and discuss the link between stem cells and diseases such as cancer.

In each lecture one principal investigator (PI) will introduce a particular aspect of the stem cell field (35 min.). Afterwards, one student will present a research article related to that field and discuss how that particular study was conducted. In their presentations, the students need to: 1) Introduce the background of the research article and the history of the concept being investigated. The key here is to understand the reason for why the work was done and why it is important. 2) Describe the aim of the study and the experimental design (methods and material). 3) Discuss the major results/findings (figures and tables). 4) Summarize the context of the work and discuss major conclusions made by the authors. Present your own view, what is good and what is bad in the experimental design and results. Finally discuss future experiments that need to be or should be conducted. After the presentation all students will participate in active discussion. In addition to this, the students must select a couple of articles on a stem cell topic of their immediate interest and write a short report in english (4-6 pages). At the end of the course a seminar is scheduled where each student presents his/her report in short talk (7-10 min.).

Advanced Food Microbiology (MAT506M)

This course provides the foundation needed for understanding the main sources of microbiological contamination in food, the effects of microbes on quality and safety of foods and control measures used to prevent spoilage and food-borne illnesses caused by microbes in foods. The content of lectures is divided into five parts: (1) Origin, classification and cultivation of microorganisms in foods. Introduction and history of food microbiology.  Traditional and novel methods for cultivation, isolation and enumeration of microorganisms in foods. Overview on the most important groups of microorganisms in foods, including indicator microorganisms. (2) Factors affecting the growth and survival of microorganisms in food. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting microorganisms in foods – nutrient content, pH, redox potential, water activity, humidity, temperature, atmosphere etc. Microbiology of food preservation – heat processing, chilling and freezing, chemical preservation, drying, modification of atmosphere, irradiation, high-pressure, fermentation and other profitable uses of microorganisms in food production. (3) Foodborne illness caused by microorganisms. Food microbiology and public health. Most important causes of food intoxications and infections -Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli, Vibrio, Listeria, Clostridium, Bacillus, Staphylococcus, scombroid intoxications and other bacterial pathogens in foods. Non-bacterial agents of foodborne illnesses – parasites, toxigenic algae, toxigenic fungi, foodborne viruses and prions (BSE). Emerging pathogens. (4) Microbiology of primary food commodities. Sources of microorganisms found in primary food commodities.  Microbiology of sea-foods, meat products, dairy products, drinking water, vegetables, fruits, vines and beers. (5) Control of microbes in foods. Influence of processing and handling on survival of microorganisms and spoilage of foods by microorganisms. Sampling procedures, handling of samples and sampling schemes. Microbiological quality criteria and guidelines. Predictive microbiology. Cleaning and disinfection. Introduction to GMP, GHP, HACCP, quality management systems and Risk Analysis

Each student writes an essay about new topics in food microbiology and gives a short presentation.

Field Course in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I) (IÐN222F)

The course is taught in two parts, and the expectation is that students register for both parts. The course will cover the practical issues related to innovation and entrepreneurship. It covers the emergence of a business idea and the initial evaluation of the business opportunity, and the development and testing of a business model. This part of the course consists of lectures and case discussions that deal with various aspects of innovation and entrepreneurship: Analysis of business opportunities, evaluation of market size and unit contribution, the management of organizational units that are involved in innovation, financing, and other issues. Students will also tackle projects where they apply the methods taught in the class to isolated tasks in product and business development in both new and existing firms.

Food and culture (NÆR613M)

Everybody need to eat; food connects nature to culture, culture to industry, the public to the private, the local to the global, the home to the workplace, the past to the present and one person to another in relationships that organize and transcend the axes of class, gender, ethnicity, race and age. The study of food demonstrates that food is always laden with meaning that exceeds its nutritional value and that this meaning is central to understanding the relationship between food and people, one of the more important relationships we have with the world. Food habits thus reveal our views, values and aestethics, and food shapes our existence, bodies, memories, society, economy and ethics.

In the course we will explore what people eat, how, when, with whom and why. Doing so provides us with valuable insights regarding gender and generations, food safety and health, sustainability and human rights, class and cultural diversity, sense and sensibility, technology and food production, food and diet trends, food traditions and cultural heritage, emotions and microbes, friendship and family dynamics.

In the course we explore the relationship between food production and consumption in the 21st century with specific emphasis on public health, ethical consumption and sustainability.

Food and culture is an interdisciplinary course taught in cooperation between the Department of Folkloristics/Ethnology and Museum Studies and the Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition.

Applied multivariable regression and data analysis (NÆR506M)

The aim of this course is to enable student to conduct their own data analyses. This includes familiarizing them with practical aspects of data cleaning/processing and statistical methods used within nutritional epidemiology. 

Short lectures will be given covering selected subjects followed by practical assignments. Assignments will contribute 100% to the final grade. 

Some experience with SPSS, SAS or related softwere in addition to having taken basic course in statistics is desierable, but not required.

Innovation, Product Development, Marketing (IÐN202M)

An insight into the structure of innovation, product development and marketing and how to use this methodology as a tool of management in industrial companies. Theory and practical methods of innovation, product development and marketing. Training in project management and how to run integrated projects covering those three areas by solving realistic problems.

Structure and Function of Proteins (LEF616M)

The characteristics of protein structures at the different structural levels. How structure determines the different properties of proteins. Structural classes of proteins and their characteristics. Relationship between molecular structure and biological function. Interactions that determine structural stability of proteins. Protein folding and unfolding. Effects of different parameters, e.g. temperature, pH, salts and denaturants on protein stability. Techniques used for determination structure and different properties proteins. Selected topics in protein structure function relationships.

Course plan: Lectures twice per week (2x40 min. each time). Computer lab once per week (2x40 min.). Lab sessions involve training using the WWW to study proteins. Tutorials and practice of using SwissPDBviewer program for solving specific assignments related to topics covered in lectures.

Biochemistry 4 (LEF617M)

This course focuses on methodology and recent innovations in biochemistry, emphasizing both analytical and computational techniques. It is divided into several modules, each taught by experts in their respective fields. While lectures form the core of the material, additional resources such as articles or book chapters may be assigned when appropriate. Practical demonstrations of research equipment may also be included. Students are expected to submit several written assignments throughout the semester.

The course will explore recent research in various specialized areas of biochemistry, and the content of the modules is regularly updated.

Topics covered may include single-molecule spectroscopy, protein mass spectrometry, structural biochemistry, binding affinity and thermodynamics, enzymology, and computational biochemistry.

Sustainable Futures (UAU207M)

The aim of this course is to develop the students' critical thinking and leadership skills for a sustainable future.  The material that will be introduced will show actions that can be taken to reduce individual/organisational/community/ country ecological/environmental footprints. The students will master scientific framework for sustainability - based on systems thinking. They will learn to link science/economics/social sciences to underpin policy, become aware of skills and methods needed to lead change, understanding carbon trading schemes, become aware of necessities of developing new economic, policy and legal systems and understand the components needed for building sustainable communities.  At the end of the course the students will be equipped to lead change towards a sustainable future, understand economic consequences of "business as usual", be able to detail measures to avert dangerous climate change, understand the legal framework for simultaneous policy and be fully aware of societal and economic consequences of "peak oil". Students will also be able to organise and run workshops on topics relating to sustainability, learn about successful cradle to cradle good practice, understand the meaning of embedded water and embedded energy and be aware of system's adaptation to climate change. Evaluation will be through workshops, presentations and group projects.

Intensive course, taught in modules over four weekends: Dates for spring semester 2023: January 20-21, February 10-11, March 3-4, and March 24-25.

Sensory evaluation (MON603M)

In the course, students become acquainted with sensory evaluation sciences and how sensory evaluation is used to assess the properties of food. How to evoke, measure and evaluate the sensory properties of food and the different methods used in sensory evaluation will be discussed. Emphasis will be placed on traditional sensory assessment methods (differential tests, graphical tests, hedonic tests, etc.), and how these methods are used in different situations such as quality control and product development. Methods in consumer research will be explained. Factors influencing sensory evaluation, the organization of sensory evaluation research (preparation, presentation of samples, choice of methods, etc.) will also be discussed, as well as sensory evaluation groups (selection and training) as well as statistical analysis and interpretation of sensory evaluation results. The teaching is in the form of lectures, as well as practical exercises under the guidance of a teacher.

Science communication and thesis writing (UAU244F)

The course will cover how to structure and write a research thesis. Challenges of writing a thesis will be discussed, as well as tips to finding thesis rules and templates from the different faculties. Techniques of how to write scientific papers and literature reviews will be presented. Students will practice writing an abstract and giving an oral presentation about their thesis research. This course is taught every semester and is a required course for each ENR student to complete before graduation.

Students must have their thesis proposal ready prior to taking the course, and begun writing their master’s thesis.

Student registers for Science communication and thesis writing (UAU116F or UAU244F) either at spring semester or autumn semester, it’s not allowed to take both.

Food innovation (MAT609M)

The aim of the course is to introduce students to the main methods of product development and to train students in the use of consumer-driven methods in the development of food products. Students develop a consumer-oriented product and receive guidance in prototyping methods, selection of raw materials, experimental setup, scale-up, and the regulatory framework that must be followed when creating new foods. Students will also learn how sensory evaluation is used in product development and receive training in sensory evaluation of their own product. 

The development of the product will be made in team (prototyping and entrepreneurial training) but some assignments of the course are individual.  

Subject: 

Fundamentals of food product development.  

What will be discussed: 

• Idea search, idea filtering, prototype development (lecture as well as hands-on work) and scale-up to production  
• The use of experimental design for filtering and optimizing products in product development 
• The use of sensory evaluation in product development 
• The main innovations in environmentally friendly proteins 
• The relationship between food legislation and intellectual property rights in product development  

Real examples of product development at companies will be covered. 

Practical: A product will be developed from an idea to a prototype and presented at the end of the course through an oral presentation.  

Food Safety Management (MAT616M)

•      The course focuses on key elements involved in managing quality and safety of food, including production intended for international trade.  Lectures will cover Food Safety and Quality requirements in International trade, regional and national regulatory framework aimed at ensuring food safety and certification.  EU and USA legal framework. National control plans (residual plans, audit plans, structure of control).  Risk assessment.  Food chain risks.  Contingency plans for feed, food and animal health.  Good Manufacturing Practices / Good Agriculture Practices / Good Hygiene Practices.  Hazard Analysis Critical Control (HACCP).  Sampling, monitoring, surveillance, analytical criteria and limits for evaluation of food safety results.  Traceability and Food Safety.  Accreditation of testing laboratories.  Internal and external audits at official and private level. Codex International guidelines. Quality Assurance Management (ISO-9000, ISO-14000, ISO-22000).    Buyer’s specification.

•      Practical’s cover 1) installation of HACCP systems and validation of the systems, 2) Internal and external verification of Food Safety and Quality at Food Business Operators, 3) student assignments on current topics in Food Control and Inspection.

•      Course plan: Lectures, discussions and other practical work on subjects related to the course material. Active participation of students is required. Student projects: Reading and presentation of scientific papers from international journals and material connected to the lectures

Ethics of Science and Research (HSP806F)

The course is intended for postgraduate students only. It is adapted to the needs of students from different fields of study. The course is taught over a six-week period.

The course is taught 12th January - 16th February on Fridays from 1:20 pm - 3:40 pm.

Description: 
The topics of the course include: Professionalism and the scientist’s responsibilities. Demands for scientific objectivity and the ethics of research. Issues of equality and standards of good practice. Power and science. Conflicts of interest and misconduct in research. Science, academia and industry. Research ethics and ethical decision making.

Objectives: 
In this course, the student gains knowledge about ethical issues in science and research and is trained in reasoning about ethical controversies relating to science and research in contemporary society.

The instruction takes the form of lectures and discussion. The course is viewed as an academic community where students are actively engaged in a focused dialogue about  the topics. Each student (working as a member of a two-person team) gives a presentation according to a plan designed at the beginning of the course, and other students acquaint themselves with the topic as well for the purpose of participating in a teacher-led discussion.

Applied multivariable regression and data analysis (NÆR506M)

The aim of this course is to enable student to conduct their own data analyses. This includes familiarizing them with practical aspects of data cleaning/processing and statistical methods used within nutritional epidemiology. 

Short lectures will be given covering selected subjects followed by practical assignments. Assignments will contribute 100% to the final grade. 

Some experience with SPSS, SAS or related softwere in addition to having taken basic course in statistics is desierable, but not required.