Molecular Mechanisms of Nutrition

There will be given an overview of the importance of nutrition in relation to health and knowledge of how nutrition/nutrients affect expression of genes. The subject will focus on the status of nutrition, vitamins and minerals, metabolic regulation, digestion and absorption, organs and tissue, endocrine organs and hormones, metabolism of carbohydrates, fat and proteins, lipoprotein metabolism and energy balance

The course will provide a detailed understanding of how nutrients affect health at the molecular level.

Laboratory course: Gene expression analysis. A short introduction (2 hours) to Affymetrix Gene Chip System will be given. Students will isolate total RNA from given material. cRNA synthesis, hybridization, washing and scanning will be performed in accordance with standardized protocols. A simple comparison analysis will be performed and a gene list including genes differentially expressed will be made. The protocol and some selected genes are discussed and presented in form of a short article. The language of teaching and examination is English. The examination may change to an oral exam if few students register.