HNE-34806 Advances in Nutrigenomics

Course

Credits 6.00

Teaching methodContact hours
Lectures20
Practical extensively supervised9
Practical intensively supervised18
Problem-based learning12
Tutorial9
Self-study
Course coordinator(s)dr. ir. GJEJ Hooiveld
Lecturer(s)dr. ir. GJEJ Hooiveld
dr. MV Boekschoten
dr. ir. R Stienstra
dr. WT Steegenga
Examiner(s)dr. ir. GJEJ Hooiveld

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

HNE-34306 Advanced Metabolic Aspects of Nutrition; MIB-10306 Cell Biology 2; HNE-23306 Pharmacology and Nutrition.
Please ask your study coordinator whether your expectations will fit with the course objectives and whether your background knowledge is sufficient.

Continuation courses:

Thesis Metabolism and Nutrigenomics.

Contents:

This course provides an in depth coverage of molecular nutrition in combination with applications of genomics technologies, focusing on the relevant examples of complex diseases relating to nutrition such as obesity, diabetes or metabolic syndrome. The students will be trained to dissect complex scientific problems in nutritional research into smaller feasible subprojects that can be studied efficiently with molecular nutrition and genomics tools. In addition, the impact of sensitizing genotypes for the understanding of complex diseases, the crosstalk between lipid and proinflammatory signaling, the design of dietary intervention studies for Nutrigenomics applications, the concept of challenge tests and early biomarkers, the impact of bioinformatics and data mining and the expectations of the food industry (functional foods, personalized nutrition) will be addressed.

Learning outcomes:

After this course, the student is expected to:
- understand the basics of genetics, genomics and gene regulation with relation to diet;
- be able to read and understand literature of the field (molecular nutrition and nutrigenomics);
- have good understanding of genomics technologies such as transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics and their applicability in molecular nutrition and food research;
- have good understanding of the concepts of molecular nutrition research (signals and signaling pathways, dietary sensors (nuclear receptors), use of animal models;
- have some basic understanding of epigenetics in relation to nutrition;
- have some understanding of the concepts of nutrigenetics (genetic susceptibility, SNPs, polygenic (complex) diseases, 'personalized' diet);
- have good understanding of the concepts of nutrigenomics (dietary signatures, identification of very early biomarkers, 'Two Hits');
- have knowledge to apply molecular biology and genomics tools in the lab for molecular nutrition and food research (Use of transgenic animals and cells, quantitative PCR, promoter assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation, oligonucleotide and protein microarrays, bioinformatics, biostatistics, pathway reconstruction programs);
- be able to extract relevant data/information from internet for molecular nutrition research;
- be able to plan a Nutrigenomics experiment;
- be able to write a Nutrigenomics project proposal (team of two students).

Activities:

To reach these objectives, the student will:
- prepare and follow lectures;
- follow the e-learning modules and solve the cases presented there;
- search the literature and the www (internet) and read and discuss relevant original research papers (group work), and prepare a presentation;
- discuss ideas and concepts with other students and coaches/teachers;
- write a nutrigenomics project proposal in a team effort;
- use the Blackboard site.

Examination:

- written open questions exam (50%);
- presence and participation laboratory practicals (20%);
- quality and presentation project proposal (group) (30%).

Literature:

Study material will be made available through Blackboard.

ProgrammePhaseSpecializationPeriod
Restricted Optional for: MBTBiotechnologyMScA: Cellular/Molecular Biotechnology5AF
MBTBiotechnologyMScC: Medical Biotechnology5AF
MNHNutrition and HealthMScC: Molecular Nutrition and Toxicology5AF