Testimonials
Curious about what it's like to study the Master programma Adaptive Organisms? Read about the experiences of students, teachers and alumni below. What's the atmosphere like, what drives teachers and where will you end up?
Testimonials of students
Climate change is on all of our minds and as taking action becomes more and more urgent, people that understand what needs to be done are vital in our society.
- Previous education
- Bachelor's Biology at Radboud University
- Programme
- Plant and Animal Molecular Physiology
- Country of previous education
- The Netherlands
- Study start date
Marleen Wilborts is a Master's student Adaptive Organisms at Radboud University. During the programme Marleen wrote a testimonial about the Master's and atmosphere in Nijmegen.
What do you like about the Master's specialisation and why?
More than half of the total EC consists of internships, I think those are the most fun and interesting part of the Master's and I think that is the way you learn most about your specialisation. Also, it looks good to have more internships on your resume. Lastly, I think it is really nice that the orientation course is obligatory for everyone and shows what is possible after you get your degree. I think in general Radboud University really pays a lot of attention to the personal development of students as well as the academic development and I think that is a really good thing. In my opinion, personal growth is just as or even more important than academic learning.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
I think it is really relaxed and almost cosy. Classes are small, which I like, and professors are down to earth and really passionate about student participation. Asking questions is appreciated, for example.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s specialisation?
The only thing I can think of is that the way you can organise your Master's is really free. So free, that I sometimes fail to see the bigger picture of what is possible. But you can always go to a student advisor and ask for help, so I hardly see it as an obstacle.
What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?
Currently, climate change is on all of our minds and as taking action becomes more and more urgent, people that understand how important this topic is and what needs to be done are vital in our society. Most of all, solution-based thinking people with knowledge that can contribute to a sustainable society.
Testimonials of teachers and researchers
I want to find out why some plants can withstand heat better than others.
Ivo Rieu is a Professor of Crop Biotechnology at Radboud University in Nijmegen. He leads research focused on how plants cope with climate change, particularly their response to heatwaves.
A current topic, as the changing climate has a significant impact on our food crops worldwide. Not only humans and animals suffer from heat stress, but plants do too. As a scientific researcher, Ivo Rieu and his team focus on crops grown for human consumption, such as tomatoes and beans.
‘The problem is that many plants become less fertile during periods of high temperatures. They produce fewer seeds and fruits. A heatwave when tomato plants are blooming can destroy the entire harvest.’
Developing crops
There are two possible solutions to this problem, and both are being applied. Ivo Rieu outlines: ‘There are farmers and gardeners who switch to another crop that is resistant to the heat. The second solution is to develop variants of crops with increased resistance to heatwaves. This is what we are researching.’
Genetic technology: time savings
As a biotechnologist, Ivo Rieu uses a plant or parts of it to cultivate a crop with desired characteristics. ‘In the past, breeding was done by crossbreeding and selecting plants by eye. Nowadays, we use genetic technology. With this technology, we save a lot of time because we can work at the gene level with seedlings and don’t have to go through the entire growing cycle. What used to take three months can now be done in a day.’
‘For example, a DNA sample is made from a piece of leaf. This sample is then "read" with special equipment. We don’t do this ourselves. There are companies specialised in this, and they provide us with the ready-made DNA code on which we conduct our research.’
Defense mechanisms
Using DNA, Ivo Rieu investigates the defence mechanisms of plants. 'We want to find out why some plants can withstand heat better than others. If we identify the piece of DNA responsible for this, we can selectively crossbreed plants and expose them to heat in a greenhouse. If it works, we test it on-site.
We have done this successfully in Italy, Spain, and Turkey. This is the applied part of our research. These insights help us make agriculture and horticulture more sustainable and climate-resilient. Breeding companies are already using the findings from our research.'
Understanding the defense mechanism
‘If we find a piece of DNA that makes a plant more heat-resistant, we also want to know how it works. What exactly does that piece of DNA do? We want to understand the defence mechanism.’
A process of at least ten years
According to Ivo Rieu, this defence mechanism can be used for different types of plants. This means that if the mechanism works in tomato plants, it will likely work in cucumbers or eggplants as well. ‘The piece of DNA that prevents heat stress in tomatoes can then be transferred to other crops.’
However, the whole process is not a quick fix. Ivo Rieu estimates that it will take at least ten years before such crops are available for cultivation and consumption.
Food security and sustainability
Ivo Rieu and his team are the only research group in the Netherlands focusing on this topic. ‘This research is becoming increasingly important because climate change is a global problem with significant impacts on our food crops.’
‘We provide solutions derived from nature or developed using a biotechnological approach. It is incredibly motivating to contribute to something as important as food security and sustainability.’
I have a strong interest in the adaptations that allow species to thrive in some environments but not in others
- Nationality
- Dutch
- Programme
- Plant and Animal Molecular Physiology
Wilco Verberk is Aquatic Ecologist aan de Radboud Universiteit in Nijmegen.
Could you introduce yourself?
My name is Wilco Verberk and I am interested in all things aquatic. Over the years I have been working in many different ecosystems, from raised bogs to coral reefs and rivers and on many different groups (fish, crustaceans, insects). During my PhD research, I developed a strong interest in the adaptations that allow species to thrive in some environments but not in others. After my PhD I expanded my interests, focussing on the thermal biology of aquatic ectotherms, during a 3-year postdoc in Plymouth (UK). Then I returned to Nijmegen and took up a position at Radboud University as a teacher and researcher. I teach multiple courses, including Biodiversity in the BSc programme and Alpine Ecology in the MSc programme.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
Animals are not randomly distributed in nature, but occur in regular, predictable patterns. Explaining these patterns from an understanding of the relationships between species and their environment is my main drive for doing science. These relationships are rooted in the adaptations of species, which in turn relate to the fields of ecological physiology (how does the physiology ‘fit’ with a species’ environment) and evolutionary ecology (how has evolution given rise to certain adaptations).
Explaining distribution patterns of species and their relation to the environment is my main drive for doing science.
Given that the number of ectotherm animals number in the millions, figuring out their responses to changes in environmental conditions is not feasible on a species-by-species-basis. In my research I therefore look for short-cuts: Can we distil general principles which can be extrapolated to species that have not been studied as extensively? Classifying animal species based on traits, the features connected to how species live their lives, provides a powerful instrument to derive generality and translate observations into a broader context. In my work I have taken a comparative approach to establish to what extent we can predict a species’ physiology from other known traits and whether we can extrapolate such knowledge from its evolutionary history.
What is your current research focus?
I am currently investigating thermal responses from an oxygen perspective. Temperature and oxygen are considered to be master variables, especially for ectotherms living in water, directly affecting key fitness functions (e.g. metabolism, growth, fecundity), which in turn impact population persistence, species distributions and ecosystem structure and function.
With over 99% of all animals being ectotherms, understanding the mechanisms underpinning thermal responses is paramount.
With over 99% of all animals being ectotherms, understanding the mechanisms underpinning thermal responses is paramount. Importantly, because temperatures are changing globally and temperature directly affects the physiology of ectotherms, understanding animal responses to changes in the environment is incomplete without also considering how temperature interacts with other aspects of environmental changes. This is where oxygen becomes important as temperature changes the balance between oxygen supply and demand. Oxygen is vital for aerobic energy metabolism but at the same time it is toxic. To meet demand, oxygen therefore needs to be supplied in just the right amount. As temperature disrupts the balance between oxygen supply and demand, and given worldwide declines in water oxygen levels (deoxygenation), an oxygen perspective is useful in understanding how thermal responses impacts energy budgets.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Make a choice rather than trying to keep all options open. Choose something that you can envision yourself spending a lot of time on. And if you are good in mathematics, choose Biology; we need students with good quantitative skills and abstract thinking!
What do you enjoy most about working with students?
Helping people grow.
I find ecology so interesting because everything comes together in it.
- Nationality
- Nederlands
- Programme
- Conservation and Restoration Ecology
Steven Huls is PhD candidate - Ecology at Radboud University Nijmegen.
Could you introduce yourself?
I am Steven Huls, born and raised in Nijmegen and working in the Ecology department of the Faculty of Science. I completed my Bachelor's and Master's degrees here at Radboud University, but also went to Wageningen for a bioinformatics minor and a Master's internship. I have been working as a PhD candidate since 2022 and my research focuses on vegetation development on Dutch river dykes. In addition to my research, first-year students might also encounter me in the Biodiversity and Personal and Professional Development courses.
Why did you choose to study/work in this field? What makes this field so interesting?
I find ecology so interesting because everything comes together in it. How the soil affects plant roots, how they in turn determine above-ground growth, and how that impacts animals such as birds and insects.
What is your current research focus?
My research focuses on dyke vegetation and specifically my mission is to find the ideal combination of grasses and herbs. This creates the opportunity to move beyond creating a simple grass mat during dyke reinforcement, to instead develop a diverse, species-rich vegetation with many different types of grasses and herbs.
What advice do you have for prospective students?
Join a committee of your study association, sports club or student association! Or do a board year if you have a bit more time.
What do you enjoy most about working with students?
What I enjoy about working with students is that they regularly come up with ideas that you might not have thought of yourself.
Testimonials of alumni
By the end of the programme, you will have gained extensive experience in laboratory work, data analysis and scientific writing.
- Previous education
- Biology Education (HAN)
- Programme
- Plant and Animal Molecular Physiology
- Study start date
- Study end date
Maartje Hooymans was a Master's student in Adaptive Organism at Radboud University.
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why?
This Master's specialisation is highly research-oriented and includes two research internships, each requiring a Master's thesis. In addition, students write a Review Article and a Research Proposal. By the end of the programme, you will have gained extensive experience in laboratory work, data analysis, and scientific writing. This is an excellent preparation for the job market.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class?
The atmosphere among students and between teachers and students is always positive. During one of my internships in the Animal Ecology and Physiology department, I also experienced a supportive and welcoming work environment with friendly colleagues. Students in our specialisation are well-connected. Most of us know each other and often engage in social activities outside of our studies. A great way to meet other students is through BeeVee, the Biology study association, which organises plenty of fun events. Many students also enjoy working out at the Radboud Sports Centre, and I love going there with friends as well.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
I think the high level of flexibility in choices can be challenging for Master's students, as it requires a great deal of initiative, proactivity, and planning skills. However, throughout this Master's programme, I have developed these skills as a result.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
In my first Master’s internship, I worked at the Animal Ecology and Physiology department over here at Radboud University. I worked on a project in which we investigated if the impacts of oxygen on the thermal tolerance in zebrafish larvae are modulated by their cellular size.
For my second internship, I've been working for the Comparative Cognition Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence. I travelled to Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife for this project. The lab is located within Loro Parque (a zoo). Here, I had the incredible chance to study if a group of Blue-headed macaws could use a part of their long-term memory to anticipate the future.
Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?
I think that in the current environment of organisms, multiple stressors are intensifying at a high rate. Therefore, it is very important to study the fundamental processes involved in the stress adaptation of individual organisms. Armed with this knowledge, we can start exploring various ways to help organisms cope with these stressors.
For my future steps, I am starting a position where I will continue conducting cognitive tests with dogs in Morocco. Throughout my Master's, I have worked with dogs alongside my studies, making this job the perfect continuation of my experience and passion for animals.