NUTRITION RELATED DISEASE
Academic Year 2026/2027 - Teacher: MASSIMO LIBRAExpected Learning Outcomes
The course covers the general mechanisms underlying pathological conditions through the analysis of the various etiological factors and the pathogenesis of diseases, with particular emphasis on the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the development of nutrition-related diseases. By the end of the course, students should be able to understand the cellular and molecular basis of diseases strongly associated with metabolic disorders or imbalances in specific micronutrients and macronutrients, including cancer.
Taking into account the Dublin Descriptors, the expected learning outcomes are as follows:
1. Knowledge and understanding
Students are expected to acquire knowledge of the main etiological factors and pathogenetic mechanisms underlying nutrition-related diseases, with particular reference to the cellular and molecular basis of diseases associated with metabolic alterations and imbalances in the intake or availability of micronutrients and macronutrients, including cancer.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding
Students should be able to apply the knowledge acquired to interpret the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the onset and progression of nutrition-related diseases, identifying the relationships between nutritional factors, metabolic alterations, and pathological manifestations.
3. Making judgements
Students should develop the ability to critically analyse the relationships between nutrition, metabolism, and disease, evaluating the scientific evidence concerning the etiopathogenetic mechanisms of the diseases studied and distinguishing biological associations from causal relationships supported by the available evidence.
4. Communication skills
Students should be able to clearly and accurately explain the main etiological and pathogenetic mechanisms of nutrition-related diseases, using appropriate scientific language and the correct terminology relating to cellular, molecular, and metabolic processes.
5. Learning skills Students should develop the ability to independently expand their knowledge of nutrition-related diseases through the consultation and critical evaluation of scientific literature, in order to maintain an up-to-date understanding of the biological mechanisms involved and advances in research in this field.
Course Structure
The teaching will be carried out through the provision of classroom teaching lessons plus laboratory exercises to be carried out in the laboratories of the Biological Tower in order to improve the theoretical and practical knowledge acquired during the hours spent in the classroom.
Required Prerequisites
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
Etiology Pathological manifestations Basic concepts in pathology and general pathophysiology Concept of health and disease; of etiology and pathogenesis; Chemical, physical and biological agents as a cause of disease. Models of human genetic diseases. Non-hereditary congenital pathology. Relevance of apopotosis in physiological and pathological processes: the mechanisms. Mechanisms and causes of hypotrophy Inflammation Acute and chronic inflammation. Inflammatory index of foods and inflammation related to metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes, etc.). Fever. Pathophysiology of thermoregulation. Endogenous and exogenous pyrogens. Types of fever. Immunology and immunopathology The cells of the immune system, immune response and immunoregulatory mechanisms. Anti-infectious immunity. Immediate and delayed hypersensitivity. Tolerance and autoimmunity, main autoimmune diseases. Oncology Control and alterations of cell proliferation and differentiation; hyperplasia, hypertrophy, metaplasia, anaplasia. Molecular basis of neoplastic transformation: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Morphology of the neoplastic cell. Invasiveness and metastasis. Tumor promotion and progression. Apoptosis and angiogenesis in tumors. Chemical, physical and viral carcinogenesis. Antigens and tumor markers. Cancer classification criteria. Biological therapies. General pathophysiology of the digestive system: Pathophysiology of the liver. Alterations in digestion and absorption. Diabetes mellitus
Textbook Information
GM PONTIERI - PATOLOGIA GENERALE E FISIOPATOLOGIA GENERALE – PICCIN
RAPHAEL RUBIN – PATOLOGIA GENERALE – PICCIN
LAUREN SOMPAYRAC – COME FUNZIONA IL SISTEMA IMMUNITARIO - PICCIN
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eziologia, manifestazioni patologiche, concetti di base in patologia e fisiopatologia generale, concetto di salute e malattia e di eziologia e patogenesi | Capitoli 1 e 2 - GM Pontieri |
| 2 | Patologie da agenti fisici: agenti chimici, fisici e biologici come causa di malattia. Effetti biologici delle radiazioni eccitanti e ionizzanti. Elettricità, caldo e freddo come causa di malattia. | Capitolo 4 - GM Pontieri |
| 3 | Patologia genetica: Modalità di trasmissione delle malattie ereditarie. Modelli di malattie genetiche umane. Patologia congenita non ereditaria. Dismorfismi facciali. | Capitolo 3 - GM Pontieri |
| 4 | Patologia cellulare Processi regressivi cellulari. Cause di necrosi (vascolari, immunologiche, metaboliche). Rilevanza dell’apopotosi in processi fisiologici e patologici. Interrelazioni fra la patologia elementare dell’ambiente extracellulare e le cellule, con le conseguenze sulla funzionalità dei parenchimi, considerando sia le alterazioni proprie di componenti del connettivo | Capitolo 10 - GM Pontieri |
| 5 | Infiammazione Infiammazione acuta e cronica. Fenomeni vascolari, cellule coinvolte nell'infiammazione, mediatori chimici, fagocitosi, formazione dell'essudato e tipi di essudato, granulomi, processi riparativi. La febbre Fisiopatologia della termoregolazione. I pirogeni endogeni ed esogeni. Tipi di febbre. | Capitolo 13 - GM Pontieri |
| 6 | Immunologia ed immunopatologia Le cellule del sistema immunitario, risposta immune e meccanismi di immunoregolazione. Immunità anti-infettiva. Ipersensibilità immediata e ritardata. Tolleranza ed autoimmunità, principali malattie autoimmuni. Immunodeficienze congenite e acquisite. Iperimmunoglobulinemie. Immunologia dei trapianti. Immunità antitumorale. | Capitoli 16 - 18 - GM Pontieri |
| 7 | Oncologia Controllo e alterazioni della proliferazione e del differenziamento cellulare; iperplasia, ipertrofia, metaplasia, anaplasia. Basi molecolari della trasformazione neoplastica: oncogeni e geni oncosoppressori. Morfologia della cellula neoplastica. Invasività e metastasi. Promozione e progressione tumorale. Apoptosi e angiogenesi nei tumori. Cancerogenesi chimica, fisica e virale. Antigeni e marcatori tumorali. Criteri di classificazione dei tumori. Terapie biologiche. Fisiopatologia generale del s | Capitoli da 19 a 27 - GM Pontieri |
| 8 | Fisiopatologia generale dell’apparato digerente: Fisiopatologia del fegato. Alterazioni della digestione e dell’assorbimento. Il diabete mellito |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
- What are the signs of inflammation?
- Describe the IGF-1 Inflammation axis
What are acute phase inflammatory proteins?