Nutritional conditions in early life may, through epigenetic and epigenesist processes, have profound effects on physiological functioning and health in later life. This course aims to provide a detailed scientific background on the mechanisms that may underlie these early-life effects, both at the physiological and gene expression level. The program combines knowledge on perinatal programming by nutritional factors in humans, laboratory and farm animals.
Date: May 21-23, 2014
Target audience: Postgraduates (MSc, PhD) with a background in animal, veterinary, biological, health, or food sciences. The course is open for participants from both industry and universities/research centers.
Program: The following topics will be addressed:
Early life nutrition
- Prenatal programming; mechanisms and implications
- Hunger winter studies
- Nutrition during pregnancy
Immune programming
- Maternally-mediated immunological imprinting
- Effects of the microbioom
Epigenetics
- DNA methylation, histone modifications and ncRNA
- State of the art techniques
- Statistical and bioinformatic analysis
Phenotypic plasticity
- Metabolic flexibility
- Dietary interventions
Course website: http://www.vlaggraduateschool.nl/courses/epi-gen.htm
