Academic Year/course:
2023/24
441 - Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics
29240 - Metabolism and Gene Expression
Syllabus Information
Academic year:
2023/24
Subject:
29240 - Metabolism and Gene Expression
Faculty / School:
229 - Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud y del Deporte
Degree:
441 - Degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics
ECTS:
8.0
Year:
1
Semester:
Second semester
Subject type:
Basic Education
Module:
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1. General information
The subject provides essential knowledge about cellular functions; metabolic pathways, their cellular localization and regulation mechanisms; and the basic gene expression mechanisms operating in the organism. The general objective is that the student acquires an adequate understanding of the biochemical nature ion which physiological and nutritional processes are based and develop.
These approaches and goals are aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations Agenda 2030 (https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/es/), in such a way that the acquisition of the learning results of the subject provides training and competence to contribute to some extent to their achievement:
Goal 3: Health and wellness
Goal 4: Quality Education.
Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption
2. Learning results
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Demonstrate an understanding of the cellular, biological and biochemical fundamentals of application in human nutrition and dietetics.
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Demonstrate a basic understanding of the structure and function of the human body at the molecular level.
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Demonstrate an understanding and use, appropriately and accurately, of relevant biochemical terminology in the health sciences.
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Demonstrate the ability to base the scientific principles that support the intervention of the dietitian-nutritionist, subjecting their professional performance to scientific evidence.
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Demonstrate the ability to maintain and update professional competence, with special emphasis on learning, in an autonomous and continuous manner, new knowledge, products and techniques in nutrition and food, as well as the motivation for quality.
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Critically appraise and know how to use and apply sources of information related to nutrition, food, lifestyles and health aspects.
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Use this basic training by being able to formulate hypotheses, collect and interpret information for problem-solving, following the scientific method, and understanding the importance and limitations of scientific thinking in health and nutrition.
Nutrition, beyond its better known determinants (such as deficiency aspects and/or energy requirements ), is arousing growing interest as it is recognized as a factor with great impact on the state of health of individuals and populations. . At the same time, our molecular understanding of nutritional processes is continuously increasing as a result of new biological and biomedical research whose application may lead to the emergence of new dietary trends or new food products. The emergence and use of these applications in highly regulated societies, such as ours, cannot always ensure their beneficial character on the health of individuals, or their harmlessness, as the pre-existing regulatory or legislative frameworks may be overwhelmed by the very nature of the proposed innovations. It is expected that the knowledge provided by this subject will be a minimum basis for students to establish their own criteria on the potential rationality of novel proposals in the area of nutrition, in the light of scientific evidence
3. Syllabus
I. CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY: 1.- Bio membranes. 2.- The core. 3.- DNA replication and repair. 4.- Transcription. 5.-Translation. 6.- Organelles (ER, Golgi, Lysosomes, Mitochondria, Chloroplasts, Peroxisomes). 7.- Cytoskeleton. 8.- Cell cycle. 9.- Cell signalling, differentiation and oncogenesis.
II. ENZYMES: 10.- Enzyme kinetics and mechanisms of action. 11.- Modification and regulation of enzymatic activity.
III. METABOLISM: 12.- Introduction. 13.- Photosynthesis. 14.- Glucose oxidation. 15.- Krebs cycle. 16.- Oxidative phosphorylation. 17.- Glucose synthesis. 18.- Glycogen. 19.- Oxidation of fatty acids. 20.- Synthesis of fatty acids and triacylglycerols. 21.- Complex lipids. 22.- Amino acids. 23.- Nucleic acids. 24.- Integration and control of metabolism.
Practical classes:
1.- Cellular diversity. 2.- DNA extraction and purification. 3.- Quantitative determination of proteins. 4.- Enzymatic activity. 5.- Lipid metabolism.
4. Academic activities
Master Classes ( 60 hours)
Laboratory Practices ( 5 sessions of 2.5 hours)
Seminars and Problems ( 5 hours)
5. Assessment system
Continuous evaluation (It is essential to pass the 3 parts of the evaluation)
a. Written exams (75%): it is essential to pass each exam (multiple-choice test) to pass the subject . If not passed, they constitute 100% of the qualification.
b. Laboratory practices (15%*): Attendance (50%) and resolution of the questionnaire of each practice (50%). The average of the questionnaires must be greater than or equal to 5/10 points to average with attendance. Unexcused absence from a session means sitting for the global test of this part whose grade will replace the grade for this practice.
c. Seminars (10%*): Preparation and public presentation of a report on a scientific review and attendance to seminar sessions.
(*) Provided that the written examinations have been passed. Grades for laboratory practices (passed by attendance/questionnaires) and seminars (passed by exposition) will be saved for subsequent examinations.
Failure to pass any part of the continuous evaluation may be solved by passing the corresponding part of the global evaluation of that call, maintaining the rest of the grades obtained by continuous evaluation.
Global evaluation (Students must pass the 3 evaluation tests to average) a.Theoretical test (75% ). Multiple choice test (40%) and short questions (60%).
b.Practical test (15%). Written test of short questions and problems on the set of practices. It replaces the grade obtained from attendance and questionnaires.
c.Scientific review (10%). Questions on a scientific review provided by the teacher.