MEDSCI 710 : Nutrition Mechanisms
Medical and Health Sciences
2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
MEDSCI710 aims to provide an understanding of the underlying mechanisms through which nutrition can influence physiological function, with a focus on disease development and prevention. This course will consider the strength of the evidence for nutritional mechanism of disease from experimental science, animal studies, epidemiology and human intervention trials, and will broadly cover the themes of omics approaches to nutritional research (including nutrigenomics and the microbiome), antioxidants vitamins and minerals in health and disease, and the role of nutrition in metabolism and metabolic disease. Delivery is through small lectures, tutorials, student seminars and independent readings. This course will require conceptual application and communication of nutritional research.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
| Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
Learning Outcomes
- Critically evaluate scientific literature in the field of nutritional mechanisms (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
- Communicate scientific evidence in relation to the physiological consequences and underlying mechanisms of nutritional interventions and dietary patterns (Capability 1, 2, 4 and 5)
- Undertake independent evaluation of research methodology used in scientific publications on nutrition, health and disease (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 5)
- Demonstrate an understanding of personalised nutrition in relation to the microbiome and nutrigenomics (Capability 1 and 2)
- Describe and discuss the role of iron and antioxidants found in the diet and as nutritional supplements (Capability 1 and 2)
- Evaluate the evidence of nutritional toxicology (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
- Explain the mechanisms through which appetite and energy intake are regulated (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
- Demonstrate an understanding of the role of nutritional strategies for bone health and cerebral blood flow (Capability 1 and 2)
- Describe and explain the concept of metabolic programming in relation to nutrition in early development (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Assignments | 70% | Individual Coursework |
| Presentation | 30% | Individual Coursework |
| 2 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
| Assignments | ||||||||||
| Presentation | ||||||||||
Learning Resources
PowerPoint files and audio used for delivery of the lecture will be available through CANVAS. Reading material will be available through CANVAS.
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, presentations or tutorial per week, 4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4 hours of work on assignments.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.