BIOL 3202 Nutritional Biochemistry

Edmund Li
Rm 5S/15, Kadoorie Building
Tel: 2299-0807
Email: etsli@hku.hk

Teaching at the School of Biological sciences

Introductory Level Courses
BIOL1201
Introduction to Food and Nutrition
Common Core
CCGL9034

Obesity: Beyond a Health Issue

Advanced Level Courses

BIOL3202
Nutritional Biochemistry
BIOL3204
Nutrition and the Life Cycle
BIOL3205
Human Physiology
MSC in the Field of Food Industry: Management & Marketing
Programme Co-Director
SPACE Postgraduate Diploma in Human Nutrition
Academic Committee

Aim
This is an independent course compulsory for students in
the Food & Nutritional Science programme, but also
opens to students in other life sciences disciplines. The
fundamental concepts in nutrition will be introduced. An
integrated approach will be used in discussing the
interactions between diet and intermediary metabolism.

Contents
Essential nutrients and their requirements. Energy
balance and caloric value of foods. Metabolic control
of macronutrient utilization. Nutritional impacts of
hexoses, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and
amino acids. Dietary recommendations.

Course Objectives
To introduce the fundamental concepts of nutrition through an
integrated approach in discussing the interactions between diet
and intermediary metabolism.

Contents & Topics

Essential nutrients and their requirements
Caloric value of foods and energy balance concept
Metabolic control of macronutrient utilization
Nutritional impacts of hexoses, long chain polyunsaturated fatty
acids and amino acids
Regulatory aspects of energy imbalance
Dietary recommendations

Why this is a core course?

How is it differ from Basic Biochemistry / Introduction to Biochemistry?
Metabolism is chemical processes which are involved in sustaining the
living state of organisms. Through various metabolic pathways, cells
obtain energy and essential components that are vital to survival.
Diet is the ultimate source of substrates that allow biochemical
processes to occur. Hence nutrition is fundamental to body metabolism.
With a basic knowledge on metabolic pathways, students will
understand how intermediary metabolism is influence by different
foods in short and long term as well as their positive and negative
health impacts. Such information is core to food and nutritional science
students and very useful to biochemistry majors.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students
should be able to:

Understand the concept of nutrient requirements

Explain how different organs coordinates to achieve
metabolic control on glucose homeostasis
Describe the metabolic pathways of various
polyunsaturated fatty acids and the impacts of dietary
inadequacy
Understand the theoretical constructs of nitrogen
requirement and the importance of urea cycle as
affected by age, energy intake and exercise
Acquire skills to interpret scientific data

** Data interpretation practices using published works.

Lectures
Tuesdays & Thursdays at 10:30 am
Fridays at 9:30 am

Tutorials
Suggested time slots:
Sep 15 and 29 - 2:30-4:20pm
Oct 6 (test) 2:30 3:20pm
Nov 1 (Sat) 10:30am-12:20pm

Nov 24 2:30-4:20pm

Assessments
Test: 15%
Assignment: 15%
Dates to be announced after add/drop
Final Examination: 70%

Guiding policy
No make up test
If you miss your test, the 15% will go to your final 85%
If you do not submit your assignment, you get nothing.

References*
Harvey RA & Ferrier D. Lippincotts Illustrated Reviews:
Biochemistry. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2011
Frayn KN. Metabolic Regulation: A Human Perspective. WileyBlackwell, 2010.
Gropper SS, Smith JL & Groff JL. Advanced Nutrition & Human
Metabolism. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2013.
Gibney MJ, Macdonald IA & Roche HM. Nutrition & Metabolism.
Blackwell, 2006.
Whitney E & Rofles SR. Understanding Nutrition. Wadsworth,
Cengage Learning, 2011.
*Sources of tables and figures in slides/handouts.