School: Medical and Health Sciences

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Metabolic Biochemistry
  • Unit Code

    NUT2211
  • Year

    2025
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    3
  • Credit Points

    15
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
  • Unit Coordinator

    A/Prof Claus Thagaard CHRISTOPHERSEN

Description

This unit is designed to integrate the biochemistry and pathophysiology of disease in relation to nutritional and other clinical implications for treatment. The interplay between disease and the major metabolic pathways is emphasized for the major organ systems in the human body.

Prerequisite Rule

Students must pass SCC1226 AND must pass 1 unit from SCH1134, SCH1143 or MHS1102

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Explain the regulatory mechanisms of metabolic control and how they are influenced in disease by nutritional interventions.
  2. Synthesise biochemical and nutritional based scientific literature to explain metabolic pathways impacting human nutrition and health.
  3. Apply laboratory methods to investigate nutritional based metabolites and molecular markers to critically evaluate diagnostic procedures.

Unit Content

  1. Metabolic pathway regulation by allosteric, covalent modification and enzyme inhibition; endogenous and exogenous influences.
  2. The biochemistry, pathophysiology and generation of plasma markers in cancer.
  3. The biochemistry and pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis and the implications for ameliorating exocrine pancreatic function.
  4. The biochemistry and pathophysiology of hepatic disease, including inflammation, necrosis, regeneration and cirrhosis.
  5. The biochemistry and pathophysiology of renal dysfunction and importance of the urea cycle.
  6. The biochemistry and pathophysiology of myocardial infarction.
  7. The biochemistry and pathophysiology of renal dysfunction from stages 1 to 4 of function.
  8. The biochemistry and pathophysiology of diabetes in relation to therapies to modify cellular biochemical function.
  9. The biomarkers of selected chronic diseases and the nutritional implications for treatment.
  10. Mitochondrial and cytoplasmic metabolism; details of how disease can impact upon their molecular control.

Learning Experience

Students will attend on campus classes as well as engage in learning activities through ECU's LMS

JoondalupMount LawleySouth West (Bunbury)
Semester 213 x 2 hour labNot OfferedNot Offered
Semester 213 x 2 hour lectureNot OfferedNot Offered

For more information see the Semester Timetable

Additional Learning Experience Information

Lectures supported by audiovisual material and laboratory sessions supported by audiovisual material, computer software and e-Learning activities. Students will work in small teams as part of their laboratory training. Guest speakers provide students with the opportunity to connect and collaborate with industry professionals.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Due to the professional competency skill development associated with this Unit, student attendance/participation within listed in-class activities and/or online activities including discussion boards is compulsory. Students failing to meet participation standards as outlined in the unit information may be awarded an I Grade (Fail - incomplete). Students who are unable to meet this requirement for medical or other reasons must seek the approval of the unit coordinator.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
TestLaboratory and early lecture assessment30%
AssignmentLiterature review and presentation40%
ExaminationExam30%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Assessment

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. Informal vivas may be conducted as part of an assessment task, where staff require further information to confirm the learning outcomes have been met. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant School Progression Panel.

Academic Integrity

Integrity is a core value at Edith Cowan University, and it is expected that ECU students complete their assessment tasks honestly and with acknowledgement of other people's work as well as any generative artificial intelligence tools that may have been used. This means that assessment tasks must be completed individually (unless it is an authorised group assessment task) and any sources used must be referenced.

Breaches of academic integrity can include:

Plagiarism

Copying the words, ideas or creative works of other people or generative artificial intelligence tools, without referencing in accordance with stated University requirements. Students need to seek approval from the Unit Coordinator within the first week of study if they intend to use some of their previous work in an assessment task (self-plagiarism).

Unauthorised collaboration (collusion)

Working with other students and submitting the same or substantially similar work or portions of work when an individual submission was required. This includes students knowingly providing others with copies of their own work to use in the same or similar assessment task(s).

Contract cheating

Organising a friend, a family member, another student or an external person or organisation (e.g. through an online website) to complete or substantially edit or refine part or all of an assessment task(s) on their behalf.

Cheating in an exam

Using or having access to unauthorised materials in an exam or test.

Serious outcomes may be imposed if a student is found to have committed one of these breaches, up to and including expulsion from the University for repeated or serious acts.

ECU's policies and more information about academic integrity can be found on the student academic integrity website.

All commencing ECU students are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module.

Assessment Extension

In some circumstances, Students may apply to their Unit Coordinator to extend the due date of their Assessment Task(s) in accordance with ECU's Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000001386.

Special Consideration

Students may apply for Special Consideration in respect of a final unit grade, where their achievement was affected by Exceptional Circumstances as set out in the Assessment, Examination and Moderation Procedures - for more information visit https://askus2.ecu.edu.au/s/article/000003318.

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