Clinical Sciences and Nutrition MRes

The module content is designed to introduce key concepts relating to the security and integrity of the food supply chain. The strategies, procedures and technologies that have been introduced or might have a role in future will be explored

Some or all of the following areas will be addressed by the module:

• The nature of the modern food supply chain, demand forecasting and the role of the consumer
• Human population and demographic change - changing pressures on the food supply chain.
• Origins, fate, behaviour and impact of contaminants and allergens in the food supply chain
• Food production, processing and waste - new technologies for enhanced efficiency and waste reduction.
• Waste valorisation and alternative sources of protein. 
• Adulteration, fraud and threat assessment.
• Supply chain and demand forecasting in food and drink industries.
• Nanotechnology applications for rapid diagnostics and enhanced packaging.
• Legislation and enforcement for consumer protection.

The module aims to introduce the student to some of the key issues that currently influence the availability of food, as well as those which are expected to impact on this in the future. These include factors such as population growth, demographic and social change, resource depletion and environmental degradation. The operation of the various components of the food supply chain that link environment and primary production to the end consumer will also be examined, as well as the opportunities to modify or change behaviour and practice. In addition to ensuring sufficient quantities of food are made available for the consumer, it is also essential to protect the food supply chain from events or activities that might impact upon quality and safety. The origins and occurrence of contaminants, allergens and adulterants in the food supply chain will be explored, as well as the strategies and procedures necessary to ensure the supply of safe, nutritious and wholesome food to the consumer. 

1. Nutrients, including water and alcohol

• Essential nutrients
• Conditionally essential nutrients
• Dispensable (non-essential) nutrients
• Beneficial non-nutrients

2. Reference values: their sources, uses and limitations

• Dietary reference values
• Safe Upper Levels

3. Food sources:

• Of nutrients
• Of other constituents of food
• Toxins
• Anti-nutrients

4. How food production, supply, and  preparation can determine chemical composition and content of dietary nutrients and other constituents

5. Digestion and absorption of nutrients

• Metabolic fate of nutrients / end products of nutrient metabolism
• Biological effects of inert ingesta

6. Role of diet, nutrition and foods across the lifespan

7. Key functions of the body

• Control of food intake
• Bioavailability of nutrients
• Energy balance and nutrient balance
• Nutrient turnover and storage
• Homeostasis and homeorrhesis
• Adaptation and its limits
• Diet and immunity

The aim of this module is to equip students with an in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of nutrition, and to evaluate critically, arguments, assumptions, concepts and research data in the field.

On completion of the taught modules, students will have developed their knowledge base and attained a high level of competence in the application, analysis and evaluation of theory and practice. This knowledge and critical skills will have been assessed in all previous assignments, thereby providing students with the opportunity to undertake a research project relevant to their taught programme of study. The research project subject will be agreed with an appropriate supervisor and the Research project module leader (Research Co-ordinator). The subject matter may be related to any area of the scientific discipline chosen by the student.

1. To provide the student with an opportunity to investigate systematically and in depth a scientific topic of direct relevance to the programme of study and his/her personal interests.
2. To enable the student to draw on and contribute to the development of the growing body of knowledge in their chosen broad scientific field.
3. To present the outcomes of personal research in the form of one publishable scientific paper.
4. To be able to discuss their findings in an oral examination

CC: Core Competencies – Association for Nutrition (2012) Competence requirements for programme accreditation. Available at: http://www.associationfornutrition.org/Portals/0/Public/Accreditation/Programme%20Accreditation%20Competencies%20July%202012.pdf

1. Nutrients, including water, oxygen and alcohol (CC1c, CC1f, CC1f)

• Essential nutrients
• Conditionally essential nutrients
• Dispensable (non-essential) nutrients
• Beneficial non-nutrients

2. Reference values: their sources, uses and limitations (CC4d)

• Dietary reference values
• Safe Upper Levels

3. Food sources: (CC1e, CC2a)

• Of nutrients
• Of other constituents of food
• Toxins
• Anti-nutrients
• Deficiencies (consequences of)

4. How food production, supply, and preparation can determine chemical composition and content of dietary nutrients and other constituents. Including fortification. General principles and methods of health claims, efficacy, safety and legal aspects of food, drinks and supplements (CC2b, CC4f)

5. Digestion, absorption and excretion of nutrients

• Metabolic fate of nutrients / end products of nutrient (CC1b, CC1d, CC1h)
• Biological effects of inert ingesta (CC4c)

6. Role of diet, nutrition and foods across the lifespan (CC1e, CC1g, CC1k)

• Including nutrition analysis of foods and diets for an individual and groups

7. Key functions of the body (CC1a, CC1h, CC4a)

• Control of food intake
• Bioavailability of nutrients
• Energy balance and nutrient balance (including methods of measurements, estimated energy balance, energy expenditure physical activity and fitness)
• Nutrient turnover and storage
• Homeostasis and homeorrhesis
• Adaptation and its limits
• Diet and Immunity
• Respiration
• Neuro-endocrine
• Haematological systems
• Thermoregulation

The aim of this module is to equip students with an in-depth knowledge of the fundamentals of nutrition, and to evaluate critically, arguments, assumptions, concepts and research data in the field. (CC2d)

• Review of the major disease processes and their descriptive terminology
• Risk factors for, classification and aetiology of the major diseases (e.g. disorders of the immune system, organ dysfunction, cancer, non-communicable diseases)
• Clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment interventions (medical and surgical) in the management of major diseases and disorders
• Integration of physiological systems and their impact on disease progression and management, including monitoring of measurable outcomes
• Nutrition as an adjunctive treatment in disease management, including drug-nutrient interactions   
• Principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics               

Students will gain an understanding of: medical terminology and disease classification, the major diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions and methods of managing patient care, the response of the body to disease and to the therapeutic agents that underpin recovery. Students will develop knowledge of drug classification, complementary and alternative medicine, and the role of the dietitian in medicines management. The module communicates immunological and pharmacological knowledge relevant to the health care professional, and fosters critical evaluation of the evidence which informs and supports clinical practice in a range of conditions/diseases.

1. Disturbance of metabolism: metabolic changes during calorie surplus & macronutrient imbalance; normal/abnormal functions of adipose tissue and energy metabolism in skeletal muscle; metabolic changes associated with increased fat deposition and fat distribution.
2. Genetic basis of obesity: hypothalamic control systems: feeding and satiety centres; Prader Willi Syndrome, Agouti protein, Ob- gene, leptin. peroxisome proliferators activator receptors.
3. Review of the evidence of epigenetic (maternal and foetal) causes of obesity including the Foetal origins of adult disease (Barker) hypothesis
4. Regulation of appetite and satiety in relation to food intake: CCK, Peptide YY, Ghrelin, Leptin, Insulin.
5. Strength and limitations of body composition assessment tools and techniques
6. Strengths and limitations of energy expenditure assessment tools and techniques
7. Strengths and limitations of tools of dietary assessment (food diaries, 24-hour recall, food frequency questionnaires,
etc) and analysis (food composition tables, nutritional analysis software)

1. To study the main metabolic pathways associated with energy metabolism and their integration and control, in normal and abnormal situations.
2. To develop a critical understanding of the normal metabolism of adipose tissue and the metabolic problems associated with energy imbalance resulting in the deposition of excess fat which may lead to increased morbidity and mortality
3. To develop a critical understanding of the mechanisms by which body weight and body composition are controlled, also within the context of the debate concerning whether ‘calories do or do not count’
4. To understand the genetic, epigenetic (FOAD) and physiological causes of energy imbalance.
5. To appreciate the role of nutritional assessment and energy expenditure assessment as an important tool to assess potential causes of excess adipose tissue
6. To understand the strengths and limitations for assessment of body composition, especially within the context of excess adipose tissue

1. The process of rehabilitation (biomedical v bio-psychosocial/psychological determinants of health and behaviour change, patient centred approaches and socio-cultural influences on success)
2. Stages of rehabilitation, standards and case components (BACPR) (rationale, content, benefits & drawbacks)
3. Epidemiological influences and risk factors of cardiovascular disease
4. Pathophysiological influences and processes of cardiovascular disease
5. Procedures for diagnosing disease
6. Diagnosis decision making
7. Treatment selection choices
8. Medications for CVD
9. Metabolic risk factors such as obesity and diabetes and the link with peripheral vascular disease
10. The strength and weaknesses of the evidence base for cardiovascular rehabilitation 

To equip the student with a clinically-based understanding of relevant cardiovascular disorders, investigative techniques and therapeutic strategies.

1.      The building blocks of scientific research: types of research (analytical, descriptive, experimental, and qualitative), scientific parlance (hypothesis, concepts, operational definitions, and dependent/independent variables), sampling procedures, and measurement issues (reliability and validity).

2.      Research and data collection methods: experimental research (developing hypotheses, independent/dependent variables, controls, sample selection, study designs, and experimental validity); descriptive research (questionnaires and interviews, case studies); qualitative research (characteristics, procedures, methods of data collection, data analysis, and internal/external validity).

3.      The nature of research; scientific methods of enquiry, pure versus applied ways of problem solving. Developing the research problem; identifying a topic area, devising specific questions, discovering what is already known (reviewing the literature), determining feasible ways to answer the questions.

4.      Ethics in research.

5.      Introduction to data analysis software (SPSS for Windows). Establishing an SPSS database. Defining and transforming variables; data storage and retrieval.

6.      Data analysis for descriptive and experimental research; descriptive statistics. Describing data; measures of variability, correlation and scatter plots. inferential statistics. Selecting an appropriate statistical test (parametric or non-parametric), and types of statistical tests (chi-square; t-tests; one-way ANOVA & post-hoc tests; Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney U). Worked examples in SPSS. Repeated Measures ANOVA; Factorial ANOVA, Limits of agreement analysis for method comparison and test retest reliability. Worked examples in SPSS.

1.      To expose students to the essential elements in the process of conducting sound scientific research.

2.      To develop students’ skills in the key aspects of data handling and statistical analysis.

Exercise & Health:

1. Exercise, fitness and health; physiology of exercise;  overview of exercise in prevention and treatment
2. Exercise in cardiovascular health and disease; metabolic syndrome, diabetes management,
   etc.
3. Exercise and the immune system, cancer, bone health & stress management
4. Assessment of health-related fitness: strength, body fat%, flexibility, aerobic capacity
5. Exercise prescription – principles & practices
6. Exercise in occupational and community health & fitness 

1. To develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the risks and benefits to health of physical activity.
2. To enable students to engage in informed debate about major themes in exercise and health inter-relationships
3. To develop skills for the measurement and evaluation of health-related physical fitness.