Several chronic disorders such as cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer, persistent infections, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus II are the major causes of death and impairment with vast societal and economic impact. There have been considerable developments in our knowledge of the beneficial effects of several healthy diets, foods and their bioactive components against these disorders. However, the modernisation of our way of life and for several other reasons related to food restrictions and absorption, have increased the need and demand for specific beneficial bioactive dietary compounds-biomolecules, in the form of supplements and nutraceuticals, for maintaining health homeostasis, for prevention and reduction of disease risk and/or even for disease management. Ongoing technological advancements in isolation of bioactive dietary biomolecules from several food related natural sources, structural characterisation and quantification through modern nutriomic approaches, evaluation of structure activity relationships and clarification of the biomolecular mechanisms involved in their health benefits, have dramatically enhanced our ability to understand, design and develop novel nutraceuticals targeting specific pathways of such disorders. The module will familiarize the students with the term Nutraceuticals/Food Supplements, beginning with a historical overview and past, present and future trends. This module will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the aetiology for the need for nutraceuticals, the types of nutraceuticals, along with the innovative & emerging design & processes for developing Nutraceuticals targeting several chronic disorders. Specific paradigms will be given, along with holistic approaches for acquiring specific health claims according to regulatory authorities' guidelines. Finally, an overview will also take place for consumer and global trends in the nutraceutical/supplement-ingredient market, the commercial and economic importance of nutraceuticals and types of companies in Ireland and abroad that develop Nutraceuticals/food supplements and future trends in R&D in this field of Biomolecular Medicine.

This module will introduce students on the beneficial (healthy diets) or detrimental (westernised diets) effects of Nutrition and micronutrients on the onset and development of chronic disorders and the emerging role(s) of Nutraceuticals. Within this module, students will gain an insight in the definition of nutraceutical supplements as products containing dietary ingredients derived from food related natural sources that intend to supplement the diet and are purported to provide extra health benefits, in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foods. Several such products containing vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, and several micronutrients and nutritional bioactives will be highlighted, along with specific paradigms to prevent specific chronic diseases and to improve health. The module will provide fundamental understanding of the biomolecular mechanisms and the structure activity relationships involved in the beneficial properties for several types of nutraceuticals. Moreover, an overview for consumer and global trends in the nutraceutical/supplement-ingredient market and R&D innovations in this field of Biomolecular Medicine will also be addressed. Lecture/tutorial topics include: 1. Introduction to Nutraceuticals (What are a food supplement / Nutraceutical, and what is the future for such products?). Overview of companies in Ireland and abroad for Nutraceuticals/food supplements. 2. Relationships between diet and chronic diseases. The aetiology for the need for nutraceuticals with beneficial properties against several chronic disorders. 3. Nutraceuticals with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant protective effects for the prevention/management of several chronic disorders (cancer, CVD, obesity complications, metabolic syndrome and diabetes II, hypertension) and for increasing life expectancy. 4. Nutraceuticals for central nervous system and potential mechanisms of Neuroprotection (stability-improvement of mental state, memory and performance, delaying the aging process and prevention of cognitive decline, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and multiple sclerosis). 5. Nutraceuticals for optimal lung function, for support the structure or function of the body and for muscle and bone health and Sports activities and fatigue. Metabolic and potential health benefits of nutraceuticals on gut microbiome. 6. Types of Nutraceuticals and specific paradigms containing essential/bioactive amino-acids and peptide/protein extracts, bioactive lipids and extracts (omega 3's & 6, lipid vitamins D and E), other vitamins (vitamin C and B-vitamins), phytochemicals (phenolic compounds/extracts, carotenoids and other antioxidants), minerals (zinc, copper, calcium), carbohydrate based nutraceuticals (carbohydrate extracts, functional fibres, prebiotics), and the use of micronutrient and probiotics as nutraceutical agents. 7. Innovative & emerging design & processes for developing Nutraceuticals relevant to regulatory authorities' guidelines and legislations. Holistic approaches (in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo intervention studies) to assess bioactivities of novel nutraceuticals for acquiring specific health claims according to regulatory authorities' guidelines. 8. Epidemiological research, efficacy, safety, toxicology, pharmacology and risk assessment on nutraceuticals

On successful completion of this module, it is expected that students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals on the relationship between nutrition and diseases and on the emerging role of Nutraceuticals in health and disease state. 2. Demonstrate an understanding of the mechanisms involved and the dose efficacy and safety of several types of Nutraceuticals in maintaining health homeostasis and in the prevention and management of several diseases (CVD, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune disorders, gut health, bone and muscle health, etc.). 3. Explain how and why there are several types of Nutraceuticals for the prevention and management of these diseases and for maintaining health homeostasis. 4. Demonstrate an understanding of the interplay between basic research and subsequent intervention studies for specific health claims and implementation of Nutraceuticals in prevention and management of disease (bench to bedside/consumer). 5. Demonstrate an understanding of how technological advancement and modern nutriomic-metabolomic approaches have progressed the design, development and market-release of nutraceuticals with specific health claims, in compliance to the regulations-guidelines of regulatory authorities 6. Explain the commercial and economic importance and the current and future trends of the nutraceutical/supplement-ingredient in the Irish and global market 7. Develop and apply competencies in the interpretation and analysis of research and review articles, invention and patents, epidemiological approaches for current and emerging Nutraceuticals with specific health claims.

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The module is constantly updated in light of scientific and education developments in Nutraceuticals with respect to health and diseases. Students will benefit studying primary research and review articles, inventions, patents and health claim reports, as well as from receiving research-oriented lectures from invited speakers from the fields of Nutraceutical and diseases. The content of the learning experience is designed to be well-connected to other ideas and to the real world and to be personally relevant, interesting, useful, and meaningful to the student. The aim is to engage the students, stimulate their curiosity, encourage their self-confidence, responsibility and sense of accomplishment, cooperation with fellow students, and self-knowledge. Acquiring this broad knowledge base is particularly important to develop an understanding of the emerging role of Nutraceuticals in health and disease within the concept of pharma-related biomolecular medicine. The body of the learning will be through Lectures, and Tutorials/Assessments