Departments:
Educational Programmes
Environmental Health
Nutritional Sciences
Areas of Research
Facilities and equipment
Library Facilities
The School of Health and Nutrition was established in 1991, following the merging of the departments of Biochemistry and Nutrition from the School of Pharmacy (1974), the department of Health from the School of Medicine (1953), and the department of Environmental Health and Disease Control (1987) from the School of Paramedical Sciences. The School started its educational activities with independent staff and facilities, firstly in the School of Pharmacy building. At present, the School of Health and Nutrition continues its activities independently in a new building, with educational space, laboratories and other facilities.
The general purpose of this school is to educate students in the fields of nutritional sciences and health in order to amend the position of nutrition quantitatively and qualitatively, to provide health services to different sets of people residing in rural and urban areas, to devise and implement plans for amending health services, to provide clean drinking water, to effectively plan for sanitary services (including the excretion of waste material, the refinement of waste products and the control of air pollution), in order to provide a clean and healthily environment. In order to meet these objectives, in addition to having close bilateral relations with other departments, the School enjoys scientific and research cooperation with other universities, educational institutions and governmental organizations.
| Field of Study |
Degree |
Duration (years) |
| a) Nutrition |
BSc |
4 |
| MSc |
2 |
| PhD |
4 |
| b) Environmental Health |
ASc |
2 |
| BSc |
2 |
| c) Public Health |
|
|
| Management of Public Health |
BSc |
4 |
| Family health (females) |
ASc |
2 |
| d) Nutritional Sciences (Postgraduate) |
MSc |
2 |
| PhD |
4 |
| e) Public Health (Postgraduate) |
MPH |
4 |
B.S degree in Nutrition was established in 1974 in the School of Pharmacy. From 1982 to 1993 students were accepted for Associate of science, Bachelor of sciences and non-continuous Bachelor of sciences level studies. However, since 1994, only the B.S level has been offered. In 1992, the M.S in Nutrition was established and the first students accepted for this course. 17 students have already completed their post-graduate studies on this course and 15 students are currently pursuing their studies. In addition to the taught elements, this course also includes research. The Nutritional Sciences course includes a wide range of studies related to diet evaluation, and offers broader and better concepts of nutritional sciences. Since 1995, students have been accepted for Ph.Ds in Nutrition, and at present 11 students are pursuing their Ph.Ds in this department. The minimum period required to complete this course is four years, with the emphasis on the development of independent scientific and research skills. The Ph.D course is dependent on university rules and includes several educational courses which, in turn, include comprehensive examinations and the submission of a research thesis.
Environmental Health
The Department of Environmental Health started its educational activities in the Environmental Health Institute in 1973. Between 1973 and 1982 about 307 environmental health technicians were trained for employment in the provinces of East and West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan and Gilan. In October 1987, this course was changed to an Associate level certificate in Environmental Health and was amalgamated into the University of Medical Sciences. At present, students are studying at Associate and non-continuous B.S levels.
Public Health
The students of Public Health are admitted to study at Associate level in two branches: disease control and family health. Male students are only admitted to study disease control while female students are admitted to study family health.
Nutritional Sciences
M.S: Since 1991-1992 the school of Health and Nutrition has accepted students wishing to study for an M.S in Nutritional sciences. This course includes research activities and training. The Nutritional Sciences programme includes a wide range of studies related to the evaluation of nutrition, nutritional biochemistry, diets and studies of food products as well as giving an overall broad understanding of the concepts of nutritional sciences. The first educational year in this course includes specific subject matters and the second year is a combination of research projects and the thesis.
Ph.D: The Doctorate in Nutritional sciences is the highest educational qualification in the subject of nutrition, and students are awarded the Ph.D degree on the basis of a systematic collection of research and educational activities. The school of Health and Nutrition has admitted students for this course since 1995. The minimum period required to complete this course is four years, during which there is an emphasis on the development of students’ research and scientific skills and a thorough knowledge of their subject concern. The department seeks to make them as independent as possible with the help of developed education resources of the school of Nutritional Sciences. The Ph.D course is dependent on University rules and regulations and includes several educational periods which, in turn, include comprehensive examinations and a research thesis.
Different kinds of training courses are also held under the supervision of this school and with the cooperation of other departments or even other universities. The main research areas include: biochemistry of nutrition, clinical nutrition, the nutritional state of society, principles of nutrition, anaemia and other nutritional deficiency disorders.
Secretariat of Food and Nutritional Security is a national programme for design a plan about food safety and nutritional and food security of Iranian people in 3rd development plan.
Areas of Research
Research projects are being carried out by this department in a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical fields. Research is followed up by laboratory, clinical works and studies of nutrition in society.
Studies of patterns in devising and implementing food and nutritional measures in East Azerbaijan
This research aims to improve human welfare by alleviating poverty, and improving food and nutritional security at a family level. This, in turn, is dependent on four basic factors including income, culture, nutritional knowledge and freedom from deficiency diseases. The main elements which provide these factors within society are universities, government and people. The planning and implementation of plans in this area are mainly carried out at provincial, regional and rural levels. At present, the Food and Nutrition Society of East Azerbaijan, which has been formed within the Secretariat of Food and Nutritional Security of East Azerbaijan in the department of Health and Nutrition, continues its activities in this field, within a systematic framework.
The Nutritional State of Society
Human nutrition is dependent on economical and social factors, which include energy, absorption of nutritional materials and growth during pregnancy and breast-feeding. This area is fundamental in the research plans of the University. Topics such as evaluation methods, social interferences and food security are included in these plans. Other key research areas are related to microbiological studies and medicine control.
nutrition
These studies are carried out with the help of biochemical analysis of blood. By studying of the state of nutrition using computerised programmes, micronutrient quantities in serum and the quantities of micronutrients consumed are determined. The important micronutrients
being studied in this case are: iron, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Studies of nutrition in children and adolescents of different age groups:
The nutritional condition of children and adolescents is studied by the determination of anthropometric indexes and their relationship with each other, as well as research into diets and nutritional problems.
The study of the effects of different diets on blood-pressure control:
In this study, people are subjected to diets which are rich in one special nutrient through an interferential method, and the effects of the increase of this nutrient on the reduction of natural hypertension is observed. The nutrients being studied are: Ca, K, Mg, and dietary fibre.
The study of diet patterns amongst in-patients in different wards of hospitals and the evaluation of the quality of hospital food
In these studies, the amount of macronutrients and micronutrients received by patients in different wards is studied and compared with recommended standards.
Study of microbial contamination of different food products
The quantity of contamination in various food products infected with different bacteria, and a comparison with maximum permitted levels is studied using laboratory methods and differential cultures. At present, most of the studies are carried out on dairy products, particularly on locally produced cheese.
Studies of the determination of the amount of nitrate in food and agricultural products.
In these studies, the amount of nitrate and nitrite in different foods is studied using the spectrophotometry method, and results are compared with maximum permitted amounts. Necessary recommendations are made on the basis of results obtained from these studies.
The study of the chemical nature of water and sewage
These studies are mainly carried out by the chemical analysis of electrical conduction, hardness, chemical contamination of water with nitrate and nitrate, heavy metals, soluble oxygen (DO), fluoride, sodium, potassium, soluble lithium, coagulation and clotting, in order to determine the optimum amount of coagulant and verify the PH of running and underground water.
The study of the microbiological nature of water and sewage
These studies are based on the search for the existence of biological elements, particularly bacteria. This includes the isolation of any kind of bacteria and the determination of its nature as pathogenic or non-pathogenic.
Demographic and psychological studies
This research is mainly concerned with demographic, social and economical factors, mother and child health, and care and management characteristics of healthcare at a societal level.
Facilities and equipment
The School of Health and Nutrition has the following laboratories: biochemistry and nutrition, chemistry of food products, chemical laboratories of water and sewage, microbiology of water and waste, a biochemistry research laboratory, instrumental analysis laboratory. It has also workshops, pump motor piping, drawing and topography used for educational and research purposes.
The school participates in several educational and research fields with the cooperation of health and treatment centres in East Azerbaijan. A research centre is now under construction. This school has also other facilities such as a library, an audiovisual centre, a publication unit and a computer centre.
Library Facilities: 1. 2350 volumes of books in foreign languages
2. 2900 volumes of books in Persian
3. 55 foreign journals
4. 10 Persian journals
5. 164 thesis
Since 1998 a LAN (local area network) has been operating in this school. Academic staff and students can use this to search Medline and web sites from their own computers in their workplaces. The students of this school have access to welfare facilities such as accommodation, grants, collegiate loans, collegiate jobs, book coupons, medical services, sport clubs, self-services and transportation services.
This school tries to make the required arrangements in order to attend scientific congresses and seminars and to become familiar with educational, research and health center, food production facilities and transformational industries throughout the country. It also endeavours to hold pilgrimage & recreational tours and graduation parties
Address: Attar Nishaboori St., Golghasht St., 51664, Tabriz-Iran
Tel : + 98 411 3344731
Fax : + 98 411 3340634