Metabolic Disease: Pathophysiology and Pharmacology module (BS42038)

Explore the science behind metabolic disease, from how cells sense nutrients to how obesity and diabetes develop

Credits

Module code

BS42038

Level

Faculty

Faculty of Life Sciences

Discipline

D'Arcy Thompson Unit

Metabolism underpins almost every aspect of health. This module brings together pharmacology, biochemistry, and clinical science to explain how the body regulates nutrients, and what happens when this goes wrong.

You'll start with the basics of metabolism before exploring how the hypothalamus, the endocrine pancreas, and the gut interact to maintain energy balance. You'll then examine the cellular and genetic changes that lead to obesity and diabetes, including impaired hypoglycaemia awareness, autophagy, and pharmacogenetics.

The clinical part of the module covers the full range of diabetes treatments, from established drug classes to new technologies, transplants, and lifestyle interventions. You'll also study the design of clinical trials to evaluate emerging therapies.

Teaching is delivered through lectures at City Campus and Ninewells Campus. Lecture slides are provided via My Dundee. You will build on these through independent study.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

Understand how nutrient sensing in mammalian cells regulates key metabolic processes and how this leads to disease
Learn the pathophysiology and pharmacology of treatments for different types of diabetes and their complications
Explore non-drug interventions, including weight management, in preventing or reversing diabetes
Examine how clinical trials are designed to evaluate emerging therapies
Develop skills in problem solving, data analysis, and critical appraisal of scientific literature

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Explain nutrient sensing mechanisms in mammalian cells and how they regulate tissue function and metabolic disease
Critically review the pathophysiology and pharmacology of diabetes treatments across different forms of the condition and its complications
Describe the role of non-drug interventions, including weight management, in preventing or reversing diabetes
Evaluate how clinical trial design affects the evidence for new treatments
Apply problem-solving and critical reasoning skills to analyse scientific data and literature
Show confidence in gathering information and critically appraising evidence to support independent study

Assignments / assessments

Coursework (40%)

Two computer-marked assessments (CMAs)
Basic science CMA (20%): covers the first 10 lectures and is held at the end of a free week mid-module
Clinical Trials workshop CMA (20%): completed within a stand-alone workshop, with all materials provided on the day

Written exam (60%)