- Academic Registry
Course & Unit Catalogues


HL40617: Integrative human metabolism

[Page last updated: 03 June 2024]

Academic Year: 2024/25
Owning Department/School: Department for Health
Credits: 7.5 [equivalent to 15 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 150
Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: EXOB 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Open-Book Written Examination (EXOB 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you must take HL30556 OR take HL30557
Learning Outcomes: 1 Appraise the main methods used in metabolic research and demonstrate knowledge of their limitations (K1, K2, K4, I3) 2 Describe and evaluate the evidence for mechanisms which control metabolism during fasting and feeding (K3, K6, I3) 3 Discuss and critically evaluate the evidence surrounding the role of nutrition in cardiovascular disease risk and diabetes remission (K6, K7 I2, I5) 4 Evaluate the role of nutrition in maintaining human health and function across the life course (K1, K6, I1, I5) 5 Discuss relevant real-world problems and generate evidence-based solutions (K4, K5, K7, I1, I3, I5, E7) 6 Systematically and creatively conduct metabolic testing and produce a coherent and logically sound inference from the data collected (K2, K7, I2, I4, E2, E3)


Synopsis: In this unit, you will take an integrated physiological approach to nutrition and metabolism, learning how these interact to regulate human health. You will learn to appreciate the methods used in metabolic research and critically evaluate the evidence of nutrition in human metabolism. Lab classes will provide students with practical insight to detailed methods of measuring metabolism.

Aims: To take an integrated physiological approach to understanding how nutrition interacts with metabolism to regulate human health. To appreciate the methods of determining cause and effect and metabolic mechanisms in nutrition research, and to develop the critical thinking skills to determine appropriate inferences from data.

Skills: SKILLS Tick which skills are Taught, Facilitated and/or Assessed (write NA if none) Taught Assessed Facilitated 1 Knowledge and understanding (T, F, A) 2 Intellectual (A, F) 3 Professional/Practical (T, F) 4 Communication (A, F) 5 Numeracy (F) 6 Data acquisition, handling, analysis (T, F) 7 Information technology (F) 8 Problem solving (T, F, A) 9 Working independently (A, F) 10 Working as part of a group (T, F)

Content: This level unit will explore the methods used in metabolic research and how these can be used to generate knowledge of how nutrition can causally influence human health. Students will critically evaluate the evidence of nutrition in human metabolism as it relates to health and chronic disease. For internal use:

Content:
This unit will include 11 Lectures and 2 Laboratory classes. Lectures: Lecture content will start with methods used in metabolic research, to help students understand how the evidence is generated and to prepare them for the laboratory classes using some of these methods. Students will explore the metabolic responses to starvation, and the feeding of various macronutrients before studying the evidence surrounding nutrition and chronic diseases (cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes). Finally, the unit will contemporary issues in nutrition and metabolism research where students will discuss the evidence on each side of an ongoing debate in the literature. Laboratory Classes: Laboratory classes will allow students to collect their own data to understand the methods used to study metabolism in detail. Formative assessment: Students will produce an abstract summary (up to 1-page), based on the assessments performed in the laboratory. This will be submitted on Moodle and formative feedback provided. This will assist students in confirming understanding before completing their exam.

Course availability:

HL40617 is Optional (DEU) on the following courses:

Department for Health
  • UHHL-AFM22 : MSci(Hons) Sport and Exercise Science (Year 4)
  • UHHL-ACM22 : MSci(Hons) Sport and Exercise Science with Combined Professional Placement and Study Abroad (Year 5)
  • UHHL-AAM22 : MSci(Hons) Sport and Exercise Science with Study year abroad (Year 5)
  • UHHL-AKM22 : MSci(Hons) Sport and Exercise Science with Professional Placement (Year 5)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2024/25 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2025/26 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2024/25.
  • Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.