NUFS 8970: Advanced Topics in Nutrition
MOLECULAR BASIS OF NUTRITIONAL AND METABOLIC DISEASES
Instructor: Suresh Mathews, Ph.D
3 credits
Prerequisites: BCHE 6180 or BCHE 6190

Students have an opportunity to review and analyze key papers that provide physiological and molecular evidence that bears on a topic of current interest in human nutrition and related diseases. Additionally, students learn skills necessary for critical thinking, and oral and written presentations.


Time:             Tuesdays:                               3:30 am – 4:45 pm, PSB 102B
                      Thursdays Journal Club:        4:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Greene Hall

Goal: Discuss the physiological and molecular basis of chronic diseases and develop concepts to investigate underlying biological mechanisms. 

Format: Several chronic diseases/conditions (obesity, diabetes, inflammation, cardiovascular disease) will be examined starting with a brief introduction to the disease in question followed by discussions on various aspects of the underlying biology. This will range from basic physiology to molecular mechanisms. The classes will be in discussion format. Several papers will be distributed in each meeting for the next class. Students will run the discussions and the instructor will guide/participate. The primary goal of this course is to develop excellent scientific reading and communication skills, with a focus on biological aspects of a critical health problem. The students will also attend the Boshell Research Journal Club on Thursdays at 4:00 P.M. to get further exposure to current research in diet-related diseases.

Grading: The final lectures are open for student presentations. In these meetings, each student will pick a paper from recent literature in diet-related disease mechanisms to present and discuss with the rest of the class. They will also provide a written critique of a manuscript distributed at the end of the discussion sessions. The course grade will be based on final presentation (25%), the written criticism (25%) and class participation (50%).