NNEK17000U CANCELLED 2019/20: Laboratory Methods in Nutrition

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc Programme in Human Nutrition

MSc Programme in Food Innovation and Health

 

 

Content

This course is aimed to provide supplementary knowledge reflecting state–of–the-art technologies and methodologies utilized in studies on nutritional and health in academia and industry. The students will learn about:

  • current laboratory methodologies in nutrition

  • storage and preparation of biological samples

  • extraction and separation methods (centrifugation and chromatographic techniques)

  • analyte detection and quantitation (mass spectrometry, spectrophotometry, immunoassays)

  • analytical method development, optimization and validation

  • application of omics techniques in nutritional science with focus on metabolomics

  • writing validation sheet, protocol and report

  • oral data presentation

Learning Outcome

Knowledge:

  • terminology used in description and characterization of analytical methods for nutritional applications

  • the principles, pros and cons of various state–of–the-art analytical methods

  • sources of analytical errors

  • process of analytical method development, optimization and validation

  • problems occurring during the preparation and analysis of complex biological matrices

  • limitations of the analytical methods and quantitative results

Skills:

  • both theoretical and (more limited) practical aspects of laboratory work related to nutritional studies

  • analytical method development and method validation

  • to critically evaluate common laboratory methods in nutritional science

  • the workflow in metabolomics

  • systematic evaluation of analytical results

Competences:

  • to evaluate and critically judge analytical results and methodologies in nutritional studies

  • be able to choose suitable analytical approaches for specific purposes

Literature

Course literature will be announced at study start on the course’s Absalon page.

NNEK14015U Experimental Nutrition Physiology is advisable.
Previous basic knowledge of biochemistry and chemistry with related laboratory activities is recommended.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
The course includes on average two teaching modules each week with introduction to the theoretical and practical exercises in form of lectures (up to 4 hours). The practical and theoretical exercises are performed in groups of 4-5 students in laboratories or lecture halls (up to 8 hours).
Practical exercises will consist of theoretical preparations (experiment design and calculations) and laboratory work (depending on the number of students attending).
Experiments are performed by the students themselves or with the supervisor as demonstration.
Students will solve and discuss real case problems in the groups and with the supervisor.
Results will be summarized in scientifically written protocols and reports and/or selected topics orally presented during mini–conferences.
The students are expected to act as opponents for other groups, but the supervisors and the course responsible will do the final judgment of the reports and oral presentations.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Exercises
  • 64
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Lectures
  • 32
  • Preparation
  • 109
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)

At the group work presentations late in the course we use a combination of structured peer feedback from other students and oral feedback from the superviser.

Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 20 min
Evaluation is based on the protocols, reports from the exercise and final oral examination.

At the examination, a selected topic will be presented from the students as oral presentation, the results from the written assignments will be discussed and general knowledge on theoretical and practical aspects of laboratory work will be tested. The oral examination weighs100 % and lasts for 20 minutes
Exam registration requirements

Written assignments (protocols, reports from the exercise) must be delivered and approved two weeks prior to oral examination

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal grading. One assessor
Re-exam

If the student did not fulfill the exam requirements regarding approval of written assignments, the student should hand-in the failed report(s) and pass it 3 weeks before the re-examination. The re-examination will be oral and based on the presentation of a report.

Criteria for exam assesment

Please see ”Learning Outcome”