Metabolic and Nutritional Diseases 2025

Abnormal Vitamin Levels: A Busy Day In The Hospital - Team 8

Media Type: Learning Module

Summary

Many health problems begin with something simple: not getting the right nutrients. While often overlooked, vitamin imbalances can affect everything from how we see at night to how our bones grow and heal. In medical settings, symptoms like fatigue, numbness, or even bleeding gums may be early signs of a deficiency. Without timely intervention, these small imbalances can lead to more serious health conditions. Learning how to identify and understand these signs is a valuable skill for anyone studying health and disease.

This project is an interactive learning module on vitamin imbalances, focusing on five key vitamins: A, B9, B12, C, and D. The first part of the module presents concise lessons that explain each vitamin’s role in the body, food sources, and the symptoms associated with both deficiency and toxicity. Learners can click through a visually engaging module where interactive slides encourage them to explore images, icons, and animations that reveal key facts and reinforce learning.

The second half of the module challenges learners to apply their knowledge through ten fictional clinical case studies, each tied to one of the vitamins. These scenarios were initially generated using ChatGPT and then carefully reviewed and revised by our team using trusted scientific sources. Each case includes symptoms that reflect the vitamin-related conditions covered in the first half, allowing students to practice clinical reasoning in a realistic, low-stakes environment.

This module was created to support the learning outcomes of Pathology 3500, and it is designed to suit a variety of learning styles. We chose Genially for its ability to combine text, images, quizzes, and animations into an interactive experience. The goal of this project is to raise awareness about how critical vitamin balance is for everyday health and to highlight how small nutritional gaps can lead to major impacts if left unrecognized.

Keywords: Vitamins, Micronutrients, Deficiency, Toxicity, Nutritional Diseases

Metabolopedia: A Learning Hub for Metabolic Diseases - Team 10

Media Type: Infographic

Summary

Metabolic diseases are disorders that affect how the body converts food into energy and building blocks needed for daily functions1. Normally, our body processes food through a series of chemical reactions. In metabolic diseases, these pathways don’t work properly, leading to disruptions in the body’s functions. Some of these diseases, like diabetes and atherosclerosis, are common and affect millions of people, while others, such as phenylketonuria, galactosemia, and lysosomal storage diseases, are rare but can be life-threatening without proper care1. Understanding these diseases is crucial because they have a significant and growing impact on global health.

To help students in the Pathology 3500 course learn about these diseases, we created a website that functions as a comprehensive resource for five key metabolic diseases: atherosclerosis, lysosomal storage diseases, phenylketonuria, diabetes mellitus, and galactosemia. It includes interactive tools, self-paced modules, AI-generated flashcards, and case studies, allowing learners to explore each topic in depth. With progress tracking and learning checks, students can reinforce their understanding at their own pace. This format divides the content into manageable sections, appealing to different learning preferences by combining text, visuals, and interactive features. It simplifies complex concepts, making them easier to grasp in an engaging way. However, the website's impact goes beyond academic success; by making these metabolic diseases easier to understand, we’re empowering students to recognize, explain, and eventually treat them with greater confidence in their future clinical roles.

We chose to focus on metabolic diseases because they have a significant impact on public health, and we want learners to understand not only the biological complexity of these conditions but also their broader implications for patient outcomes. By covering a range of diseases – from atherosclerosis and diabetes to lysosomal storage diseases – we aim to provide a resource that helps Pathology 3500 students meet their learning goals.

Keywords: Atherosclerosis, Lysosomal Storage Diseases, Phenylketonuria, Diabetes Mellitus, Galactosemia, Metabolic Diseases

Vital Vitamins: Investigating Vitamin A, B12, Fe & Biotin Imbalances - Team 16

Media Type: Infographic

Summary

We always hear about the importance of getting enough vitamins and minerals, but what really happens when our bodies are imbalanced in said vitamins and minerals? This project is an interactive learning module on the importance of addressing and understanding vitamin A, B12, biotin and iron deficiencies.

Vitamins play an important role in the regulation of human metabolism and have a huge role to play in the way that enzymes and other proteins function. If there are imbalances in these micronutrients, this can lead to problems in almost every organ system in the body. These imbalances can cause symptoms like headaches, nausea, blurry vision, and skin problems. If this deficiency/excess persists on a long-term scale, there can be more severe consequences, including neurological impairment, vision loss, decreased immunity, and more. Vitamin imbalances are frequently simple diseases to treat, but a large issue remains a lack of awareness about these illnesses from the public.

In our website, students can gain a better understanding of causes, symptoms, and treatment options, as well as learn about the underlying physiology and pathophysiology. Beyond this, it is essential for students to have a better understanding of these deficiencies/excesses due to their widespread incidence all throughout the world; a global impact section is therefore present for each topic, discussing the different places around the world where these deficiencies are most common. Finally, there are several tools that students can use to test their knowledge or view the content in a different format. Using an AI podcast generated by Notebook LM, students can get the same high-quality information, presented to them in an audio-friendly format. In addition, an AI chat-box is available for students to ask questions and test their knowledge in real time.

Keywords: Vitamin Deficiency, Metabolism, AI Podcast, Vitamin Excess, Nutrition

The Game of Life: Sugar Crush Edition. "Health is Wealth" - Team 18

Media Type: Board Game

Summary

Imagine navigating through a world where an invisible force influences your every move. That force? Blood sugar. This is the harsh reality for millions of people around the world living with diabetes, a chronic condition that impacts almost every aspect of your life, from minor things like what you eat and how much energy you have, to more serious concerns like nerve damage and heart disease.

In our project, “The Game of Life: Sugar Crush Edition,” players are invited to step into the shoes of someone managing pre-diabetes and diabetes. Each player begins the game with a set amount of health and a unique character card that determines their starting condition. As players move through the game, they land on different spaces that prompt them to draw from a variety of decks, including “Minor Complications”, “Major Complications”, “Action”, and “Risk Factor Cards”. These cards challenge players to control blood sugar levels, make health-related decisions, and manage the consequences of poor lifestyle decisions.

The aim of the game is to educate players by making complex pathological concepts like insulin resistance, nerve damage, and the various effects of fluctuating glucose levels easier to grasp through interactive gameplay. By
experiencing these challenges firsthand, players gain a deeper understanding of diabetes management and the importance of proactive health choices.

Keywords: Diabetes, Risk Factors, Board Game, Complications, Life

Fueling Life: A Clinical Look at Macronutrient Deficiency Disorders - Team 21

Media Type: Learning Module

Summary

Metabolic diseases caused by macronutrient deficiencies affect the health of the human body by disrupting essential physiological functions. When the body lacks crucial nutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, or fats—it impacts growth, energy production, and overall well-being. These deficiencies can result in severe health conditions that affect individuals worldwide.

Our interactive module focuses on metabolic diseases resulting from macronutrient deficiencies, specifically marasmus, kwashiorkor, anorexia, and bulimia. These conditions develop due to inadequate nutrient intake, whether from food scarcity or disordered eating habits influenced by mental health challenges and societal pressures.

The module presents information through videos (to demonstrate personal testimonies of people living with these diseases), animations, and customized quizzes (created using ChatGPT (GPT-4o)) to enhance learning and engagement. The module addresses and covers key questions for each distinct disease: What is it? Where is it prevalent? What causes it (etiology)? How does it develop (pathogenesis)? What are its signs, symptoms, and treatments? Presenting information in this structured manner helps students remain engaged, making complex concepts easier to understand and follow.

Metabolic diseases are a global concern, particularly as poverty and societal influences continue to impact access to proper nutrition and perceptions of body image. While treatment is possible, prevention and awareness remain critical. This module aims to educate and raise awareness about the widespread effects of nutritional deficiencies on health and well-being by combining various learning tools.

This module was created to enhance and delve into the lecture content covered by Dr. Mark Darling on Metabolic and Nutritional Diseases.

Keywords: Malnutrition, Kwashiorkor, Marasmus, Nutrition, Eating Disorders