Biochemistry and Human Nutrition
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course aims to:
- provide biochemical-molecular notions underlying digestion, distribution and processing of nutrients, specific organ/tissue metabolic fates, regulation of metabolism and management of the body's energy reserves;
- provide knowledge related to the physiology of the gastrointestinal system and human nutrition. Skills will be provided relating to the needs, physiological roles of macro and micronutrients, as well as their distribution in foods. Particular attention will be given to the needs in different physiological states.
Furthermore, through biochemistry exercise activity in classroom, the student will develop the knowledge and the critical skills on the metabolic interactions between organs in conditions of good nutrition, fasting and prolonged fasting and the metabolic impact of some natural products.
- provide biochemical-molecular notions underlying digestion, distribution and processing of nutrients, specific organ/tissue metabolic fates, regulation of metabolism and management of the body's energy reserves;
- provide knowledge related to the physiology of the gastrointestinal system and human nutrition. Skills will be provided relating to the needs, physiological roles of macro and micronutrients, as well as their distribution in foods. Particular attention will be given to the needs in different physiological states.
Furthermore, through biochemistry exercise activity in classroom, the student will develop the knowledge and the critical skills on the metabolic interactions between organs in conditions of good nutrition, fasting and prolonged fasting and the metabolic impact of some natural products.
Expected learning outcomes
The skills acquired will allow the student to understand the biochemical nature of foods, their physiological functions and the associated molecular and metabolic mechanisms. Furthermore, the student will also develop a critical skills for understanding the role of food and nutrients in health and disease.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The program of the Biochemistry addresses the following topics:
· Carbohydrates: chemical structure, stereochemistry, reactivity and function of monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides (homo and hetero-polysaccharides).
· Amino acids: chemical and chemical-physical features and properties of amino acids and their reactivity.
· Peptides and proteins: chemical and geometric characteristics of the peptide bond; secondary, third and quaternary structures of proteins; main functions.
· Structure, function and reactivity of lipids: chemical and chemical-physical sources and characteristics of the main food lipids.
· Bioenergetics and high energy content biomolecules.
· Carbohydrate metabolism: glucose metabolism, glycolysis (mechanisms and thermodynamic considerations of individual reactions), gluconeogenesis (mechanisms of limiting reactions, gluconeogenic substrates, correlations with Cori and alanine cycle), pentose phosphate cycle (mechanisms and regulation), glycogen metabolism (enzymes and reactions of the synthesis and degradation pathway); coordinated regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis; coordinated regulation of glycogen synthesis and degradation.
· Krebs cycle: structure of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and reaction mechanism; structure of enzymatic complexes, mechanisms and thermodynamic considerations of the single reactions of the cycle; mechanisms and points of regulation of the entire cycle.
· Respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation: description of cellular respiration, chemical and structural characteristics of the universal electron acceptors of biochemical reactions; structure and function of the electron transport chain complexes; molecular aspects of electron flow; production reactions of reactive oxygen species at mitochondrial level; the chemiosmotic model; structure and function of ATP synthase; electron transport through the mitochondrial membrane (malate-aspartate shuttle, glycerol 3-phosphate shuttle).
· Lipid metabolism: digestion, absorption and transport of lipids, mechanisms of reactions of fatty acid biosynthesis; sites and regulation mechanisms; elongation and desaturation reactions of exogenous and endogenous fatty acids; notes on the metabolism of arachidonic acid; notes on triglyceride and phospholipid biosynthesis pathways; catabolism of fatty acids, metabolism of ketone bodies, cholesterol metabolism.
· Amino acid metabolism: exogenous and endogenous sources of amino acids; transamination reactions (mechanism); oxidative deamination; urea cycle (reaction mechanisms and regulation); fate of the carbon skeleton (cycle of tricarboxylic acids, gluconeogenesis and alanine cycle); nitrogen balance.
· Hormones and signal transduction: biochemical aspects of signal transduction; structure, function and modulation of the main receptors involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways
· Metabolic interplays related to feeding/fasting cycle
The syllabus for Human Nutrition includes the description/treatment of the following topics:
· Recalls of transport physiology.
· Recalls of neuronal anatomy and physiology.
· Mechanisms of nervous (central and peripheral) and hormonal control of digestion and absorption processes.
· Anatomy of the gastrointestinal system and its main functions: motility, secretion, digestion and absorption.
· Energy requirements and expenditure: basal metabolism, and thermogenesis induced by food and physical activity.
· Carbohydrates: chemical structure, stereochemistry, reactivity and function of monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides (homo and hetero-polysaccharides).
· Amino acids: chemical and chemical-physical features and properties of amino acids and their reactivity.
· Peptides and proteins: chemical and geometric characteristics of the peptide bond; secondary, third and quaternary structures of proteins; main functions.
· Structure, function and reactivity of lipids: chemical and chemical-physical sources and characteristics of the main food lipids.
· Bioenergetics and high energy content biomolecules.
· Carbohydrate metabolism: glucose metabolism, glycolysis (mechanisms and thermodynamic considerations of individual reactions), gluconeogenesis (mechanisms of limiting reactions, gluconeogenic substrates, correlations with Cori and alanine cycle), pentose phosphate cycle (mechanisms and regulation), glycogen metabolism (enzymes and reactions of the synthesis and degradation pathway); coordinated regulation of glycolysis and gluconeogenesis; coordinated regulation of glycogen synthesis and degradation.
· Krebs cycle: structure of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and reaction mechanism; structure of enzymatic complexes, mechanisms and thermodynamic considerations of the single reactions of the cycle; mechanisms and points of regulation of the entire cycle.
· Respiratory chain and oxidative phosphorylation: description of cellular respiration, chemical and structural characteristics of the universal electron acceptors of biochemical reactions; structure and function of the electron transport chain complexes; molecular aspects of electron flow; production reactions of reactive oxygen species at mitochondrial level; the chemiosmotic model; structure and function of ATP synthase; electron transport through the mitochondrial membrane (malate-aspartate shuttle, glycerol 3-phosphate shuttle).
· Lipid metabolism: digestion, absorption and transport of lipids, mechanisms of reactions of fatty acid biosynthesis; sites and regulation mechanisms; elongation and desaturation reactions of exogenous and endogenous fatty acids; notes on the metabolism of arachidonic acid; notes on triglyceride and phospholipid biosynthesis pathways; catabolism of fatty acids, metabolism of ketone bodies, cholesterol metabolism.
· Amino acid metabolism: exogenous and endogenous sources of amino acids; transamination reactions (mechanism); oxidative deamination; urea cycle (reaction mechanisms and regulation); fate of the carbon skeleton (cycle of tricarboxylic acids, gluconeogenesis and alanine cycle); nitrogen balance.
· Hormones and signal transduction: biochemical aspects of signal transduction; structure, function and modulation of the main receptors involved in the regulation of metabolic pathways
· Metabolic interplays related to feeding/fasting cycle
The syllabus for Human Nutrition includes the description/treatment of the following topics:
· Recalls of transport physiology.
· Recalls of neuronal anatomy and physiology.
· Mechanisms of nervous (central and peripheral) and hormonal control of digestion and absorption processes.
· Anatomy of the gastrointestinal system and its main functions: motility, secretion, digestion and absorption.
· Energy requirements and expenditure: basal metabolism, and thermogenesis induced by food and physical activity.
Prerequisites for admission
According to the prerequisites reported in the Manifesto degli Studi, the student must have acquired knowledge in Human Physiology and Biology with elements of microbiology, to adequately address the contents of the teaching.
Teaching methods
The Biochemistry teacher will use both lectures (5 CFU, 40 hours) and classroom exercises (1 CFU, 16 hours) to induce an intense interplay with the students, weaving stimulating discussions on the topics covered. Part of the teaching will also be delivered through innovative teaching methods.
For Human Nutrition, lectures (4 CFU, 32 hours) are given in the classroom using slides and computer tools.
For Human Nutrition, lectures (4 CFU, 32 hours) are given in the classroom using slides and computer tools.
Teaching Resources
The recommended reference texts for Biochemistry are: D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox, Introduction to the biochemistry of Lehninger, Zanichelli; D.L. Nelson, M.M. Cox, Lehninger's Principles of Biochemistry, Zanichelli; T.M. Devlin Biochemistry with clinical-pharmaceutical aspects, EdiSES; D. Voet, J.G. Voet, C.W. Pratt, Foundations of Biochemistry, Zanichelli; Campbell & Farrell, Biochemistry, EdiSES; G. Berg, J.L. Tymoczko, L. Stryer, Biochemistry, Zanichelli.
Other reference material: slides of the lessons uploaded on the MyAriel platform
The slides used during the lectures of the Human Nutrition, available on the Ariel platform, and any Physiology text for the study of sensory pathways and the anatomy and physiology of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as for the study of the digestive system, and metabolism/thermogenesis
Other reference material: slides of the lessons uploaded on the MyAriel platform
The slides used during the lectures of the Human Nutrition, available on the Ariel platform, and any Physiology text for the study of sensory pathways and the anatomy and physiology of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as for the study of the digestive system, and metabolism/thermogenesis
Assessment methods and Criteria
For the Biochemistry, knowledge of the topics covered during the course, the ability to elaborate a comprehensive and coherent answer to the question asked using appropriate language, and to underline the metabolic relationships between different tissues and organs in physiological and pathological conditions will be assessed through an oral exam. The assessment includes a range of values: minimum (18-23/30) if sufficient preparation is demonstrated; intermediate (24-27/30) if the student shows a good knowledge of all the topics covered with good presentation quality; high (28-30/30) if the student shows an excellent knowledge of all the topics covered, an ability to critically reason on the study carried out and excellent skills in the use of specialized vocabulary. The student will be awarded honors if the ability to study the subject in depth is also demonstrated.
The Human Nutrition will be assessed through a written exam by examining the knowledge of the topics covered during the course, and the ability to elaborate comprehensive and coherent answers to the questions asked, using appropriate language. The student will be awarded honors if the ability to study the subject in depth is also demonstrated.
The Human Nutrition will be assessed through a written exam by examining the knowledge of the topics covered during the course, and the ability to elaborate comprehensive and coherent answers to the questions asked, using appropriate language. The student will be awarded honors if the ability to study the subject in depth is also demonstrated.
BIO/09 - PHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 4
BIO/10 - BIOCHEMISTRY - University credits: 6
BIO/10 - BIOCHEMISTRY - University credits: 6
Practicals: 16 hours
Lessons: 72 hours
Lessons: 72 hours
Professors:
Corsetto Paola Antonia, Saponaro Andrea Cosimo
Professor(s)
Reception:
by appointment
via Balzaretti 9, or on MS Teams