NUTRACEUTICALS
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Students must possess basic notions of cellular and molecular biology, pharmacology, and microbial biotechnology.
Exam sessions are scheduled in the number planned by the Master Degree Course and each part of the teaching course will be examined separately. The final grade will be calculated as the average grade obtained in the two parts, as follows. The exam will be considered passed with a final mark equal or higher than a 18/30 threshold.
For the FIRST PART of the course, the learning outcomes will be assessed through a 1h written exam in which open questions on topics selected from the syllabus will be asked to the students and discussed in English and a 15/20 min journal club presentation on a nutraceuticals/cosmeceuticals topic (in English, not mandatory). The final evaluation will include an overall assessment regarding the basic knowledge about issues related to the course content, the ability to properly motivate statements and to sustain an adequate discussion during journal club, the communication skills. The final mark, expressed in thirtieths, will be determined by the sum of the marks attained by the students for both journal club presentation (up to 3) and written exam (up to 28).
For the SECOND PART of the course, the examination is organized as a written exam of 1h with open questions concerning scientific topics discussed during theoretical lessons. The discussion could be performed either in English or Italian, as chosen by the student and could contribute to up to 28/30ies of the final mark. Besides the scientific soundness of given answers, the final evaluation takes into consideration also the consistency and linearity of answers, and the usage of an appropriate scientific language. A complete, clear, and well-organized answer, showing a good knowledge of the course contents and the capacity to perform critical analyses will be evaluated with an excellent score. A partial knowledge of the topics and/or a superficial answer demonstrating a limited understanding of the focal points requested will receive an intermediate grade. A limited knowledge of the course content, supported by inappropriate language will result in a barely sufficient evaluation. Moreover, students will participate in a journal club, discussing papers on selected topics, which will contribute to the final grade for up to 3/30ies.
The teaching course is divided into two parts. The purpose of the FIRST PART is to provide essential bases about principles of nutraceutics and proactive medicine, with particular attention to prevention. The module focuses on concepts, methods, issues and applications related to these topics. Theoretical information, along with practical and applicative details, at the basis of the activity of some nutraceuticals will be also provided.
The SECOND PART aims at providing students with theoretical and practical knowledges about innovative biotechnological approaches developed and used for the production of a variety of nutraceuticals.
In both parts, students will gain experience through teaching lessons, critical evaluation of literature, group discussions and journal club.
Specifically, at the end of the course the student will be able to:
1. Describe the characteristics of some plants used as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals.
2. Understand and describe the main classes of nutraceuticals produced by biotechnological approaches.
3. Understand and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a proactive approach to a number of common pathologies, with particular attention to the use of nutraceuticals.
4. Define the main processes and technologies used for the production of molecules to be applied in the nutraceutics sector.
5. Transfer acquired knowledges to the conceptualization and design of biotechnological processes for the manufacturing of products relevant for the health industry.
6. Indipendently present a scientific work (journal club) about the use of a nutraceutical, also discussing methods, results and possible applications.
In particular, teaching activity for the FIRST PART of the course concerns the following topics:
• Nutraceuticals: nomenclature, watchful medicine vs proactive medicine; nutraceuticals sources; extraction from plants, methods of analysis, preclinical research;
• Use of nutraceuticals: metabolic syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, type II diabetes, migraine, Parkinson's and Alzeimher's disease, cancer chemoprevention, inflammation.
• Cosmeceutics: basis, applications and examples.
Teaching activity for the SECOND PART concerns the following topics:
• Probiotics: strain selection, production, and formulation, strain engineering
• Prebiotics: production processes of FOS, XOS, MOS etc
• Carotenoids, flavonoids, non-flavonoid polyphenols (e.g., resveratrol), PUFAs: overview of traditional and innovative production processes, with focus on the development of engineered microbial platforms (bacteria, yeasts, microalgae)
• Vitamins: overview of the biotechnological processed employed for the production of selected vitamins (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D etc)
In both cases, teaching activities will include also seminars on specific topics and journal club.
Teaching activity for the FIRST PART concerns the following topics:
• Nutraceuticals: nomenclature, watchful medicine vs proactive medicine; nutraceuticals sources; extraction from plants, methods of analysis, preclinical research;
• Use of nutraceuticals: metabolic syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, type II diabetes, migraine, Parkinson's and Alzeimher's disease, cancer chemoprevention, inflammation.
• Cosmeceutics: basis, applications and examples.
Teaching activity for the SECOND PART concerns the following topics:
• Probiotics: strain selection, production, and formulation, strain engineering
• Prebiotics: production processes of FOS, XOS, MOS etc
• Carotenoids, flavonoids, non-flavonoid polyphenols (e.g., resveratrol), PUFAs: overview of traditional and innovative production processes, with focus on the development of engineered microbial platforms (bacteria, yeasts, microalgae)
• Vitamins: overview of the biotechnological processed employed for the production of selected vitamins (e.g., vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D etc)
In both cases, teaching activities will include also seminars on specific topics and journal club.
Students will gain experience through teaching lessons, held with the aid of slide presentation sessions, group discussions and journal club.
Teaching activity includes:
• Lectures and discussion of scientific articles on the use of nutraceuticals in a number of health issues.
• Seminars on specific topics with expert in the field
The teaching material for the lectures of this course is periodically updated and consists of slides that are presented in class by the teachers and scientific articles relating to the topics covered in class.
The teaching material is available on the e-learning platform.
Professor Marzia Gariboldi is available for meetings with students for further information about the topics covered, by appointment via e-mail (marzia.gariboldi@uninsubria.it).
Dr Francesca Berini is available for meetings with students by appointment via e-mail (f.berini@uninsubria.it).