Dept.

of Health and Nutrition Sciences

2900 Bedford Ave. • Brooklyn, NY 11210

Course Name: HNSC 3210 Nutritional Chemistry

Semester: Fall 2021

Section: ER6; 3 credits
Class time: Thursday 6:30-9:15 p.m. via Blackboard Collaborate Ultra
Class meeting: ONLINE synchronous
Instructor: Amy Marcinkiewicz
Office hour: Wednesdays and Thursdays, 3:30-5:00 p.m., via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88914662921?pwd=bjBnWFV1VHBRdWQ2RXE5c1h4ZGlGZz09
Meeting ID: 889 1466 2921, Passcode: 484210
Note: You will be placed in the waiting room and then admitted in order of arrival. If I am with a student already,
you may need to wait.
Contact email: AMarcinkiewicz@brooklyn.cuny.edu
Dept. office phone: 718-951-5026 (to leave message with department staff)

Course Description: Biochemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, inorganic salts, enzymes, vitamins, hormones.
Bioenergetics and oxidation reactions. Pathways of intermediary metabolism. (Not open to students who are enrolled in or
have completed Chemistry 4580.)

Course Pre-requisite(s): HNSC 2210 (Human Nutrition) and CHEM 2500 or 3510 (Organic Chemistry)

COURSE OBJECTIVES
• Describe the basic elements of biochemistry.
• Recognize the fundamental structures of nucleic acids, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
• Identify the structural and functional roles of major macronutrient classes – proteins, fats, and carbohydrates – in the
human body.
• Demonstrate working knowledge of nutrient metabolism.
• Describe the principal mechanisms that regulate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and cholesterol.
• Describe the role of nutrients in the production of hormones in the human body, and in hormonal regulation of
metabolism.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
This course contributes to the following ACEND Core knowledge requirements (KRDNs).
• KRDN 1.3 Apply critical thinking skills.
• KRDN 2.1 Demonstrate effective and professional oral and written communication and documentation.

REQUIRED READINGS
Textbook: Ferrier DR. Lippincott’s Illustrated Reviews: Biochemistry. 7th Edition. 2016. ISBN: 9781496344496. List Price
$76.98. Note: Earlier editions may be used.
Optional Textbook: Gropper SS, Smith JL, and Carr TP. Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. 7th Edition. 2018.
ISBN: 9781305627857.
Journal Articles: Required readings or directions for accessing them will be available on Blackboard.
Other Media: Videos, animations, or directions for accessing internet resources, will be posted on Blackboard.

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION
Grading
Numeric Score Letter Grade
≥97.0 plus exceptional
A+
participation
93.0 – 100 A
90.0 – 92.9 A-
87.0 – 89.9 B+
83.0 – 86.9 B
80.0 – 82.9 B-
77.0 – 79.9 C+
73.0 – 76.9 C
70.0 – 72.9 C-
67.0 – 69.9 D+
63.0 – 66.9 D
60.0 – 62.9 D-
≤59.9 F
Grades will be assigned according to the grading scale above (not curved).

COURSE EVALUATION/FINAL GRADE

Your final course grade will be comprised of the following components:
Assignments:
Attendance & Participation 10 points
Assignments 25 points
Exam #1 ------------------------- 25 points
Exam #2 ------------------------- 20 points
Final Exam (Exam #3) ----------- 20 points
Total= 100 points
Note: No revisions of poor work will be accepted. No extra credit assignment will be offered.

GRADE COMPONENT DETAILS

Attendance & Participation
Class attendance and participation is required and graded. Our Blackboard site keeps track of log-ins, entering and leaving
the course room, materials accessed, time spent, discussion board activity, etc. Your instructor will assess participation in
class based on discussion, chats, responses to polls, emoji feedback when asked, etc. Occasionally, participation may include
independent activities such as viewing online resources and answering questions on the discussion board.
After two absences, each additional absence will reduce the grade by 1 point. Arriving late or leaving early may be
considered a partial absence. Multiple exits and rejoining the course room within the same session, if ongoing, may reduce
your participation grade. Not responding when called upon may reduce your participation grade.

Assignments
Students will have an active role in the learning process. There are various types of assignments, mainly worksheets,
challenge questions, and sketching the metabolism map. Some require in-class participation to earn full credit; you must
be able to participate using your microphone or by calling into the session using your phone.
Each assignment is worth a specific point value, totaling 35 points. Earning 25 points is considered full credit, so 10 points
may be missed without any reduction in your course grade. All assignments should be completed.

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

Submit the following assignments via Blackboard before class on the due date. Bring a copy of your work to class for
participation and correction.
o DNA and Protein Synthesis (2 points)
o Protein Structure (3 points)
o Oxidative Phosphorylation Animations (4 points)
o DNP Case Studies (4 points)
o Glucose Oxidation Worksheet (6 points)
o Study Questions on Lipids (3 points)
o Study Questions on Amino Acids & Integration (3 points)
For the metabolism map, there are 5 parts, each due on a Monday between classes. Submit a clear image of your sketch
on Blackboard. Each part is worth 2 points.

Exams
Three exams will be given. Exams will cover topics presented in class; this includes information from lectures, class
discussions, assigned readings, and other resources (e.g., animations). Exams are not cumulative, but the material will build
throughout the semester, so the introductory material and other core concepts will apply throughout. Background
knowledge from prerequisite courses is expected, so that material should be reviewed as needed.
Exams may include multiple-choice, matching, and short-answer questions. To receive full credit, a written answer must be
comprehensible, thorough, and expressed using appropriate scientific terminology.
Exams will be taken during class time. On exam days, our class will meet in the course room at 6:30 p.m. for brief instructions
and then you will leave to take the exam. You must begin by 6:45 p.m. Each exam will be split into two separate tests - a
multiple-choice part and a written part. If you finish the first part early, wait for the designated start time to begin the
second part. Each part has a specific time limit.
You are responsible for reading the “Important Technical Information and Tips” and “Rules of All Online Exams” before each
exam (posted in the Exams tab on Blackboard).

COURSE POLICIES
Absences; Missed Exams; Late or Missing Assignments
• Attendance and participation in our online course is required and graded.
• Absences: Any student who misses class is responsible for getting the information from a classmate, reviewing the
material, and then asking questions as needed via discussion board or office hours.
• Missed Exam: If you must be absent for an exam, contact me by email before the exam with your reason and plan to
provide supporting documentation. If the instructor agrees that a makeup is warranted, you will be expected to take
the exam within one week. If you require a longer extension, you may need to receive a grade of “incomplete” until you
submit the remaining work, according to our agreement and within the deadline specified by the college. Please note
that the makeup exam may be substantially different from the main exam. In most cases, a second makeup exam during
the semester will be denied.
• Late/Missing Assignments: Late assignments cannot be accepted once the answers have been discussed in class. There
will be no makeup assignments.

Submitting and Correcting Assignments

• Assignments must be submitted on Blackboard in the Assignments tab before the due date and time. Each student is
responsible for checking that their documents have been uploaded properly in a format that can be opened on a PC.
Mac users should pay close attention to the file extension (.docx, .pdf, etc). If your document cannot be opened by the
instructor, it was not submitted and no credit will be given.

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

• Worksheets are expected to be filled out in the format given, either handwritten or typed. At each stage of your
metabolism map, you are required to take a color picture of your map and upload it on Blackboard. PDFs are preferred
but not required; PDF creation can be accomplished with free software and apps. Before uploading your document on
Blackboard, the file name should be in the format LastnameFirstname_ShortAssignmentTitle.pdf (e.g.,
MarcinkiewiczAmy_ProteinStructure.pdf).
• You are required to bring a copy of your assignment to class so you can participate in the discussion and correct your
own work as review the answers. No recordings will be created of assignment answers. Your assignments will be
downloaded from Blackboard. Grades and simple feedback will be given through Blackboard as well.

Original Work
• Assignments must be completed as independent work, so collaborating with other students is not permitted.
• In this class, everything must be written in your own words. Copying wording from the textbook, lecture slides,
animations, etc. is considered plagiarism. Using quotation marks is not allowed. Restate the information to show that
you understand it.
• Sources: For each assignment and classwork activity, you will be directed to use specific sources of information. In
addition, you may always use the required and optional textbooks for this class and course materials provided on
Blackboard. No additional materials may be used without permission. No citations are needed for information coming
from the assigned resources.
• If any type of academic dishonesty is discovered, a grade of “0” will be given for that assignment and the incident will
be reported as required.
• The instructor reserves the right to utilize plagiarism detections tools including SafeAssign and Turnitin as deemed
necessary.

Rules of All Online Exams

• You need to complete each test continuously (in one sitting); only ONE attempt is allowed. Make sure you have a stable
system (computer and internet connection) before you begin. If you get logged out of the test, the timer continues, so
you will lose time while you regain access.
• Once an answer is submitted, you will NOT be permitted to backtrack to previous questions.
• After completing the test, you will have access to your grade but not the test itself. You may ask to review your test with
the instructor during office hours.
• You must work independently. You are NOT allowed to use any course materials, web sites, or any other type of
assistance during the exam.
• Recording the test questions and/or answers in any format, including taking notes, images, etc., will be considered
cheating. Receiving or giving assistance during an exam, or sharing information from tests with classmates, future
students, etc., will be considered a breach of academic integrity and reported to the college as required.

Recording of Remote Classes:

• Blackboard Collaborate Ultra will create recordings of our online session. Not all portions of the class meeting will be
recorded, such as reviewing assignment answers. These recordings can be viewed by students in the class within the
system but cannot be downloaded. The recordings may NOT be shared or distributed under any circumstances.
• Students who participate in this class with their camera on or use a profile image are agreeing to have their video or
image recorded solely for the purpose of creating a record for students enrolled in the class to refer to, including those
enrolled students who are unable to attend live. If you are unwilling to consent to have your profile or video image
recorded, be sure to keep your camera off and do not use a profile image. Likewise, students who un-mute during class
and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded. If you are not willing to consent to have your voice

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

 recorded during class, you will need to keep your mute button activated and communicate exclusively using the "chat"
feature, which allows students to type questions and comments live.
• Recording class lectures on your own is prohibited. You are expected to pay attention during class and take notes.
If something is missed, you are encouraged to get the information from a classmate or ask the instructor.
• Video and/or audio recording of class lectures and review sessions without the advanced consent of the instructor is
prohibited. Upon written request, the instructor may grant in writing permission for students to record course lectures,
on the condition that these recordings are only used as a study aid by the individual making the recording. Students
with approved accommodations from the Center for Student Disability Services permitting the recording class meetings
must present the accommodation letter to the instructor in advance of recording. On any days when classes will be
recorded, the instructor will notify all students in advance. Distribution of recordings without written permission of
the instructor is a violation of educational law.

Policy on Sharing Materials

• All lectures and course materials, including online lecture recordings, discussion board content, exams, assignments,
and the syllabus itself, are the intellectual property of the instructor and protected by copyright. The PowerPoint
presentations are protected by copyright of the textbook’s publisher. You may take notes and make copies of course
materials for your own use. You may not reproduce or distribute lectures and course materials publicly without my
express written consent. Posting to online commercial sites such as Course Hero is never permitted. Sharing
copyrighted materials may violate the rules and regulations of the college.

Correspondence
• Most questions should be asked during online office hours or posted on the discussion board (Instructor’s Office forum
or Course Material forum).
• If you need to discuss something specific to you, such as grades, please email me directly. Please remember to include
a subject with the course number HNSC 3210, and your name at the end of your letter. Attachments, particularly Word
documents, will likely cause your email to be quarantined by the Brooklyn College system and not delivered. It is highly
recommended that you follow up with an attachment-free email if no reply is received.
• Emails and announcements will be sent from Blackboard, so you must confirm that Blackboard has your current email
address to avoid missing important information. If necessary, update your email on Blackboard or regain access to that
particular email account.
• All written communication should contain proper grammar and proper spelling.
• Always communicate in a way that is respectful to your instructor and classmates.

Demonstration of Professional Behavior:

Professional behavior is expected at all times. This includes:
1. attending class on time.
2. coming to class prepared.
3. keeping disruptions to a minimum. Please make every effort to maintain Internet connection and prevent coming
and going from the classroom. Minimize background noise as much as possible, including phones in silent mode,
TVs/radios muted, household noises, etc. Mute and unmute your microphone as needed. Frequent disruptions of
any kind will result in a warning and afterward you will lose one-half course point for each additional disruption.
4. behaving in a respectful manner. Please pay attention to what is going on in the online class; your responses are
expected. Texting is not permitted. You should speak one at a time and use the “raise hand” feature as needed.
Use the chat function for relevant discussion. Give feedback by changing your emojis, especially when asked.
Your classroom behavior will factor into your participation grade.
5. communicating as a professional in your field. Show that you are capable of discussing the course material using
appropriate terminology and proper pronunciation. Also, all written communication should contain proper
grammar and proper spelling.
6. always communicating in a way that is respectful to your instructor and classmates.

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

COLLEGE POLICIES

Academic Integrity
The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and plagiarism. Each student
is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism and for avoiding both. The complete text of the
CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site:
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies . If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic integrity and, upon
investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the faculty member MUST report the violation.
NO EXCEPTIONS! Any violation of the following will result in a grade of 0 for the assignment or activity. Students should
be aware that faculty may use plagiarism detection software.

Types of Academic Dishonesty Explicitly Prohibited

• Cheating is the unauthorized use or attempted use of material, information, notes, study aides, devices or
communication during an academic exercise.
• Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own.
• Internet plagiarism includes submitting downloaded term papers or parts of term papers, paraphrasing or copying
information from the internet without citing the source, and “cutting & pasting” from various sources without proper
attribution.
• Obtaining unfair advantage is any activity that intentionally or unintentionally gives a student an unfair advantage in
his/her academic work over another student. This includes sharing specific information about exam questions with other
students.
• Falsification of records and official documents includes, but is not limited to, forging signatures of authorization and
falsifying information on an official academic record.

Center for Student Disability Services

The Center for Student Disability Services (CSDS) is currently working remotely. In order to receive disability-related
academic accommodations students must first be registered with CSDS. Students who have a documented disability or
suspect they may have a disability are invited to schedule an interview by calling (718) 951-5538 or emailing
testingcsds@brooklyn.cuny.edu. If you have already registered with CSDS, email Josephine.Patterson@brooklyn.cuny.edu
or testingcsds@brooklyn.cuny.edu to ensure the accommodation email is sent to your professor.

Student Absence on Account of Religious Belief

A student who, for religious reasons, does not attend classes on a particular day or days shall be excused from any
examination or other work. The student shall have equivalent opportunity to make up any examination or study or work
requirements. Please make every effort to notify me beforehand of any planned absences for religious reasons. For a full
description of the policy, consult the Brooklyn College Bulletin.

Student Bereavement Policy

Students who experience the death of a loved can take a one week bereavement leave and may be allowed to withdraw
from the semester in which the death occurs. The student must contact the Division of Student Affairs, 2113 Boylan Hall,
718.951.5352, studentaffairs@brooklyn.cuny.edu, if they wish to implement either the Standard Bereavement Procedure or
the Leave of Absence Bereavement Procedure. The Bereavement Leave of Absence is for one semester only.
The Division of Student Affairs has the right to request a document that verifies the death (e.g., a funeral program or death
notice). Typically, this death involves that of a family member, in parallel to the bereavement policy for faculty and staff. It
is up to the discretion of the Division of Student Affairs to determine if a death outside of the immediate family warrants
implementation of the student bereavement policy. For a full description of the policy read more here:
https://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/about/initiatives/policies/bereavement.php

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

Important Dates – Spring 2021:
Wednesday, August 25 First day of Fall 2021 classes
Tuesday, August 31 Last day to add a course
Monday, December 13 Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” grade
Tuesday, December 14 Reading day
Wednesday, December 15 Final Examinations begin
Tuesday, December 21 Final Examinations end / End of Spring semester
The full academic calendar, including many other important dates, is available on the Office of the Registrar’s website.

TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to change)

Date Topics Readings and Resources

Aug 26 Course Introduction: Outline, Expectations, Resources Syllabus

Introduction to Metabolism

Sept 2 DNA and Protein Synthesis

- DNA structure Chapter 30-32
- Genetic information “Journey into DNA”
- Gene expression Animations

Sept 9 Protein Structure and Function Chapter 1-4

- Amino acid structures and properties
- Protein folding and types of protein structure
- Functions of proteins

Sept 16 – NO CLASSES
Sept 23 Enzymes Chapter 5
Transporters Chapter 33
Animations

Sept 30 Regulation of metabolic pathways Chapter 5

- Regulatory enzymes Chapter 33
- Control of enzyme activity Animations
- Control of gene expression Video “Ghost in Your Genes”
- Roles of vitamins and minerals
- Hormonal regulation of metabolism
- Epigenetics

Oct 7 EXAM #1: Introduction to Metabolism through Regulation of Metabolic Pathways

Oct 14 Digestion and Absorption Chapter 7

- Mechanical vs. chemical digestion Chapter 12
- Intestinal absorption Chapter 19
- Nutrient-specific digestion and absorption Chapter 15

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210

 Oct 21 Energy Transformation Chapter 6
- ATP Animations
- Oxidative phosphorylation

Oct 28 Carbohydrates Chapter 7-12

Nov 4 Carbohydrates Chapter 7-12

Genetic Disorders of Carbohydrate Metabolism (if time permits) Instructor’s Summaries of
Carbohydrate Regulation

Nov 11 EXAM #2: Digestion and Absorption through Carbohydrates and Genetic Disorders

Nov 18 Lipids Chapter 16-18

Nov 25 – NO CLASSES
Dec 2 Amino Acid Metabolism Chapter 19-21

Dec 9 Integration of Metabolic Pathways Chapter 23-24

Dec 16 FINAL EXAM (EXAM #3): Lipids through Integration of Metabolic Pathways

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS DUE (subject to change):

Thurs, Sept 9, 6:30pm DNA and Protein Synthesis
Thurs, Sept 23, 6:30pm Protein Structure
Thurs, Oct 21, 6:30pm Oxidative Phosphorylation Animations
Mon, Oct 25 Metabolism Map 1 – sketch Krebs cycle with simple representation of oxidative phosphorylation
Thurs, Oct 28, 6:30pm DNP Case Studies
Mon, Nov 1 Metabolism Map 2 – sketch glycolysis (aerobic and anaerobic); connect with Krebs cycle
Thurs, Nov 4, 6:30pm Glucose Oxidation Worksheet
Mon, Nov 8 Metabolism Map 3 – add gluconeogenesis and glycogen pathways to your existing map
Mon, Nov 29 Metabolism Map 4 – add lipids pathways to your existing map (entirely connected)
Thurs, Dec 2, 6:30pm Study Questions on Lipids
Mon, Dec 6 Metabolism Map 5 – add amino acid reactions to your existing map (entirely connected)
Thurs, Dec 9, 6:30pm Study Questions on Amino Acids & Integration

Fall 2021, HNSC 3210