Counting the costs of a certain condition such as Spina Bifida in an economic breeding farm is absurd. We are all consumers that keep the economic engines running, no matter if we are obese, or anorectics, if we do sport or if we don 't, or if we have SB as a condition, or not. Of course, there are necessary costs for SB (surgery, sometimes lifelong incontinence materials, adapted braces, etc.). But for every person, lifelong costs are incurred: food, clothing, entertainment, education, etc. Living with a disease is therefore "fuelling" the economic engine of progress. Consequently, costs cannot be calculated without taking into account the benefits (health care workers earning a living, production of new treatments and materials, etc.). The economic value of lifestyle gurus, magazines and gyms would evaporate immediately if healthy behaviour was self-evident. It’s absurd to opt for life or abortion on the basis of an economic argument. Besides, extra care and costs can only be estimated on average, and therefore do not necessarily apply to the individual in the uterus of the tested mother. Nothing is what it seems!
MULTIFILE
Developing Genetic Markers for Capsicum disease
DOCUMENT
The HRM study program of The Hague University of Applied Sciences (THUAS) recently replaced classical, module-based education by so-called learning landscapes in which students approach complex problems by interdisciplinary learning activities. Teachers collaborate in multi-disciplinary teams that have a shared responsibility to support students as well as to innovate their education. This new way of organizing educational processes not only need to strengthen the learning ability and flexibility of students, but also the learning and innovation ability of teachers. Our exploratory research among teachers showed that this new way of working increased their job satisfaction. However, teachers experience difficulties in implementing their ideas, which is an important precondition for sustainable educational innovation. In our research we addressed the question whether the new working context of teachers supported innovation. The organizational structure as described in this case study is characterized by a high degree of autonomy for the teachers who collaborate in multidisciplinary teams, in which the management rewards innovative behaviour and facilitates where possible. Given the fact that this context incorporates a high number of elements that are known to facilitate innovation, the assumption was that teachers would experience that this context was supporting them to innovate. We evaluated whether this was indeed the case in their educational innovation. Our research shows that in general teachers positively evaluate the new working context. They experience the renewal process to contribute to their job satisfaction and feel supported by the management. A large majority of the teachers, partly as a result of this new working context, do have many ideas to renew the education. Even though they use multiple sources to generate ideas, they are mainly inspired by the needs of students and the occupational practice. Especially by sharing their ideas with others, they enrich their ideas. For the implementation of their ideas they specifically focus on creating buy-in, mentioned in two-thirds of the storyboards, with activities such as seeking allies, communicating the idea to others and ‘drinking lots of coffee’. In addition, experiments help to make their ideas more visible.
DOCUMENT
This pre-study anticipates to a SIA call focussing on circular and bio-based economy in Brazil. It is linked to the Living Lab Brazil managed by Avans University of Applied Sciences. Although the dairy value chain will benefit from both circular and bio-based principles, this pre-study will be limited to circular systems. There is a vast potential for investment by the Dutch and Brazilian private sector in the dairy value chain in Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. There is also ample room to improve production efficiency towards a more circular system. Notwithstanding the business opportunities in the Brazilian dairy sector, there are challenges in attracting and consolidating partnerships along the circular-based value chain. A better understanding of the demands, challenges and opportunities of the interested Dutch companies is highly relevant to develop sustainable circular-based dairy value chains. Therefore, the goal of our project proposal is the exploration of a potential Dutch business network that is interested to invest in the Brazilian circular dairy value chain, and an exploration of the potential business opportunities for the Dutch and Brazilian dairy sector. The consortium in our proposal is conformed as follows: (a) Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (VHL). VHL is the leading knowledge institute. Vilentum University of Applied Sciences and the Federal University of Viçosa will participate through VHL. (b) Alta Genetics BV; (c) Groasis BV. To achieve our goal we focus on the following questions: What is the potential and what are the bottlenecks for the Dutch private sector (SME’s) to increase business opportunities in the dairy sector of MG? What are the business opportunities to develop and innovate circular-based dairy value chains through the Dutch and Brazilian private sector with dairy breeding and agro-silvopastoral farming as pilots? The outputs of this study will be: A list of potential Dutch private investors, both interested but hesitating and/or already successful. Basically we would like to identify “partners” and to build up a business network where we could match-make the Dutch companies with the Brazilian companies or clients; A pre-proposal including intentions for further collaboration; Three detailed reports with marketing and investment opportunities and/or research strategy in relation to circular-based economy in: general dairy chain, dairy breeding and agro-silvopastoral farming. The latter two topics must be considered as pilots for the entire dairy value chain.
CRISPR/Cas genome engineering unleashed a scientific revolution, but entails socio-ethical dilemmas as genetic changes might affect evolution and objections exist against genetically modified organisms. CRISPR-mediated epigenetic editing offers an alternative to reprogram gene functioning long-term, without changing the genetic sequence. Although preclinical studies indicate effective gene expression modulation, long-term effects are unpredictable. This limited understanding of epigenetics and transcription dynamics hampers straightforward applications and prevents full exploitation of epigenetic editing in biotechnological and health/medical applications.Epi-Guide-Edit will analyse existing and newly-generated screening data to predict long-term responsiveness to epigenetic editing (cancer cells, plant protoplasts). Robust rules to achieve long-term epigenetic reprogramming will be distilled based on i) responsiveness to various epigenetic effector domains targeting selected genes, ii) (epi)genetic/chromatin composition before/after editing, and iii) transcription dynamics. Sustained reprogramming will be examined in complex systems (2/3D fibroblast/immune/cancer co-cultures; tomato plants), providing insights for improving tumor/immune responses, skin care or crop breeding. The iterative optimisations of Epi-Guide-Edit rules to non-genetically reprogram eventually any gene of interest will enable exploitation of gene regulation in diverse biological models addressing major societal challenges.The optimally balanced consortium of (applied) universities, ethical and industrial experts facilitates timely socioeconomic impact. Specifically, the developed knowledge/tools will be shared with a wide-spectrum of students/teachers ensuring training of next-generation professionals. Epi-Guide-Edit will thus result in widely applicable effective epigenetic editing tools, whilst training next-generation scientists, and guiding public acceptance.
De melkveehouderij heeft binnen circulaire voedselsystemen als doel een optimalisatie van het gebruik van veelal laagproductieve grond in interactie met productiesystemen van elders, onder andere door het gebruik van reststromen en mest. Een combinatie van ecologische en economische principes is daarbij het uitgangspunt. Nederlandse bedrijven en organisaties hebben veel kennis ontwikkeld voor het managen van bodem-dier-plant relaties die toepasbaar is in circulaire melkveehouderijsystemen. Doel van ‘Nederland Circular Hotspot’ is om de Nederlandse kennis en kunde over duurzame circulaire landbouw te delen met landen met opkomende economieën. Hogeschool van Hall Larenstein (VHL) heeft een langdurig samenwerkingsverband met de Agricultural Development Trust (ADT) in Baramati, Maharashtra, India. Onder andere via het Centre of Excellence voor Dairy, waarin ontwikkelvraagstukken voor de Indiase melkveehouderij onderzocht worden. Eén van de bij het CoE Dairy aangesloten groepen melkveehouders is de Sahiwal-club Maharashtra, die zich richt op versterking van bedrijven met traditionele melkveerassen. In dit project gaat het projectconsortium onderzoeken of en hoe het Nederlandse producten en dienstenpakket bijdraagt aan verdere ontwikkeling van het korte ketenmodel van de Sahiwal-clubleden. Daarbij wordt het lange-termijn perspectief van circulariteit en klimaatbestendigheid als uitgangspunt genomen. In het project werken VHL en ADT samen met WN-Advies, Aequator Groene Ruimte en Dairy Campus. In samenhang met hun netwerk in Nederland verkennen zij de waardepropositie van hun diensten voor circulaire melkveehouderij internationaal, gekoppeld aan de ontwikkelvraagstelling van de Sahiwal-club over melkafzet, dierproductie en grondproductie.
