New Directors of Education IBL
Remko Offringa, Associate Professor in Plant Developmental Genetics, and Associate Professor in Molecular Microbiology Arthur Ram both have been appointed as the new Directors of Education at the IBL. Offringa in the role as Director of Education for the Master program and Ram as Director for the Bachelor program. Offringa and Ram will start their duties as Directors with effect from September 1st, 2016, taking over from Professor dr. Johan Memelink.
Director of Education Master program
Offringa’s new role as the Director of Education for the Master program will see him take control of four research specialisations. “Leiden University has a lot to offer for MSc Biology students to prepare them for their future career. The broad expertise available within the IBL, the Faculty of Science and the LUMC, and also the central location close to renowned research institutes (i.e. Naturalis, Hortus Botanicus), and biotech and breeding companies (a.o. at the Leiden Biosciences Park) provides an excellent learning environment."
"My aim as new director is to enhance the MSc Biology program by strengthening the collaboration between the IBL and other Life Science institutes and organizations in and around Leiden, and by inviting companies to participate in the education of their future employees."
Remko Offringa is currently Associate Professor in Plant Developmental Genetics at the IBL. His research focuses on the role of the plant hormone auxin in plant developmental switches, such as the initiation of embryogenesis and fruit development, and recently also to bulb propagation and ageing.
Director of Education Bachelor program
Arthur Ram is responsible for the Bachelor Program. Ram: “The integration of biology with beta-disciplines is becoming more important. New technologies in the field of DNA and RNA sequencing, protein and metabolite identification, visualisation and image processing require Big Data analysis and Systems Biology and Quantitative Biology approaches that are typical for the New Biology. One of the challenges for me as the new Education Director of the Bachelor program is to further develop the integration of the New Biology in our Bachelor program.”
Arthur Ram is Associate Professor in Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology at the IBL and is specialized in Fungal Genetics and Biology. His is interested in several aspects related to enzyme production, cell wall biosynthesis and development of filamentous fungi.