Category Archives: Biochemistry

Biochemistry is exciting and fascinating science, and this article will tell you everything youve been wanting to know about the field. Well give you the full biochemistry definition: the basics, the history, as well as the promising degrees and careers you can expect in the biochemists laboratory and beyond.

Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the branch of science that studies chemical and physicochemical processes within living organisms.

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As a combination of biology and chemistry, biochemistry studies the chemical substances and processes which occur within the biology of the body or any living organisms.

Biochemists study large molecules such as carbohydrates and proteins in relation to metabolism and other important processes within the body. Other molecules that biochemists may study include enzymes and DNA. These types of molecules are important for understanding the complex processes which occur in all living organisms.

The term biochemistry was created by Carl Neuberg, a German chemist, in 1902. But the study itself has been around for over 400 years, essentially since the invention of the microscope in 1665 by Robert Hooke. The microscope made it possible to study cells.

In 1674, Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe live plant cells under the microscope, which opened up many more possibilities than the dead cells which were being observed up until then. Live cells allowed scientists to observe chemical processes that occurred within and between them.

In the 18th century, a notable discovery in the field was made by the French scientist, Antoine Lavoisier, who proposed the concept of photosynthesis, a process in which plants convert water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide into their nutrients. Lavoisier was also the first person to study cell respiration, which is the process of making the energy molecule in the cells mitochondria.

In the 20th century, DNA was acknowledged as the genetic material which made up the cell. This was established by James Watson and Francis Crick based on the research work of Rosalind Franklin.

Most recently, new technology continues to advance scientific studies in areas such as recombinant DNA, gene splicing, radioisotopic labeling, and electron microscopy.

A career in biochemistry is recommended for those who enjoy research, as it is generally a career in laboratory science. Most careers in the field require at least a bachelors degree, such as a position as a laboratory technician. Other positions, such as laboratory managers or principal investigators of research, will require a masters degree or a Ph.D.

Laboratory technicians engage in bench work and help perform experiments in the lab under the instruction of the principal investigators. Technicians need a bachelors degree in order to be qualified, but more education and research will allow for more independence in the lab.

Lab managers carry more responsibility in the laboratory and may conduct independent research under the guidance of the principal investigator.

Though a masters degree in the field will require an emphasis on research, a Ph.D. prepares biochemists for a career in independent research, principal investigators of research in laboratories, and lecturers in university.

There are also many industry positions available to biochemists. Biochemists may also work in governmental labs or for companies in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, public health, or biotechnology. Some biochemists may also work in services such as toxicology and forensics.

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As one may imagine, a contender for biochemistry needs to have a good understanding of both biology and chemistry. Some universities may offer a specific biochemistry track, or students can begin their education by taking a bachelors degree in either biology or chemistry, with a minor in the other.

Biochemists also need to have a good grasp of mathematics and statistics in order to conduct research. As students advance in their studies, they will begin to hone in on their particular interests.

Similar studies include health sciences, which offer courses in biology, anatomy, biostatistics, and disease prevention. Universities such as the University of the People (UoPeople) offer associates and bachelors degrees in health science completely online and tuition-free. The university also offers potential certificate programs in health science that can give ones career the right boost.

As weve seen, the biochemistry definition includes a rich history and an exciting future for further discoveries. Since the invention of the microscope, biochemists have been investigating the complex, hidden world of cells and molecules.

Biochemistry is an exciting and constantly evolving field of science with an emphasis on research and laboratory technology. Different levels of education open up many opportunities for working in the field. If you have a passion for this science, then biochemistry may be a meaningful career choice for you.

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Biochemistry: Definition And Explanation - University of the People

UH Moment: Discovery of Drug Candidate that Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 Could Reduce Length of Infection Upon Exposure  Houston Public Media

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UH Moment: Discovery of Drug Candidate that Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 Could Reduce Length of Infection Upon Exposure - Houston Public Media

Biochemistry Definition

Biochemistry is the study of the chemical reactions that take place inside organisms. It combines elements from both biology and chemistry. Biochemistry became a separate discipline in the early 20th Century. Biochemists study relatively large molecules like proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates, which are important in metabolism and other cellular activities; they also study molecules like enzymes and DNA.

Biochemistry research has been done for around the past 400 years, although the term biochemistry itself was only coined in 1903 by the German chemist Carl Neuberg. The study of biochemistry essentially began with the invention of the microscope in 1665 by Robert Hooke. He was the first person to observe cells under a microscope, but they were dead cells; later on in 1674, Anton van Leeuwenhoek saw live plant cells under a microscope. Now that scientists had seen cells for the first time, they were eager to study them and discover more about the processes that occurred inside them. In the 18th Century, the French scientist Antoine Lavoisier proposed a reaction mechanism for photosynthesis, which is the process by which plants make their own food out of carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight, releasing oxygen in the process. He also was the first person to investigate the process of cell respiration, the process of making the energy molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the mitochondria of the cell.

In the 19th Century, a prevailing belief was that protoplasm, the jelly-like inside of the cell, carried out all of the processes involved with breaking down food molecules. It was believed that the chemistry of living organisms was inherently different from that of non-living ones. In 1897, Eduard Buchner performed an experiment that would change this view. He prepared an extract from yeast that he called zymase. Although zymase did not contain any living yeast cells, it could still ferment glucose to produce carbon dioxide and ethanol. Following Buchners convention, enzymes began to be named for the reaction they carried out; for example, DNA polymerase polymerizes DNA. (Zymase was later found to be multiple enzymes.)

In the 20th Century, further advancements were made. Hans Krebs discovered the citric acid cycle (which would also become known as the Krebs cycle), a series of chemical reactions during cellular respiration where glucose and oxygen are converted to ATP, carbon dioxide, and water. Also, DNA became known as the genetic material of the cell and its structure was identified by James Watson and Francis Crick from previous research done by Rosalind Franklin. Presently, newer technology such as recombinant DNA, gene splicing, radioisotopic labelling, and electron microscopy are advancing scientific knowledge further than ever before.

Topics in biochemistry research include enzyme mechanisms and kinetics, the making of proteins from DNA, RNA, and amino acids through the processes of transcription and translation, and the metabolic processes of cells. Biochemistry is closely related to molecular biology, which is the study of biological molecules such as DNA, proteins, and other macromolecules. Molecular biology techniques are often used to study biochemistry, along with techniques from other fields like immunology and physics. Since all life can be broken down into small molecules and chemical reactions, biochemistry is a broad science that is used in studying all types of biology, from botany to molecular genetics to pharmacology. Chemical reactions in cells are emphasized, but specific research topics can vary widely. For example, biochemists may be interested in researching the chemical reactions that occur in the brain (thereby connecting biochemistry with neurochemistry), how cells divide and differentiate, cell communication, the chemical basis of genetic inheritance, or how diseases such as cancer spread.

This is an image of a biochemist working in a laboratory.

Biochemistry is a laboratory science. To work in the field of biochemistry, an individual must be interested in conducting research, and should obtain at least a bachelors degree. Many biochemists teach and are principal investigators of research laboratories at universities; these positions require PhDs. While most biochemists with PhDs conduct research, some are academic lecturers and solely teach at universities. However, these biochemists also had to do research throughout graduate school in order to complete their PhD thesis. Other biochemists are lab managers, which requires a masters degree. With a bachelors degree, one may become a scientific research technician. The more education an individual has, generally the more independence they will have in a lab. Technicians carry out bench work and help perform experiments that a principal investigator designs. A lab manager has more responsibilities than a technician and may do independent research projects under the guidance of a principal investigator. Aside from academia, biochemists also work in industry positions. They may work in government laboratories or for a variety of companies including agricultural, pharmaceutical, public health, or biotechnology companies. Others provide specific services such as toxicology or forensics.

In order to be a competent biochemist, one must be interested in biology or chemistry research and learn proper laboratory skills and safety procedures. It is also important to have an aptitude for mathematics and statistics, and be able to analyze the data generated from experiments. The ability to think outside the box and brainstorm new ideas is important for designing experiments. Biochemists must also keep up with the scientific literature by reading recent publications in scientific journals and attending conferences. Although it takes a lot of hard work, training, and study, biochemists are able to uncover new information about the chemistry of living things and contribute to advancing scientific knowledge.

Students interested in becoming biochemists need to take many science courses during their time as an undergraduate. General knowledge of both biology and chemistry is essential. Many schools offer biochemistry as a specific major. It is also possible to become a biochemist after obtaining a biology or chemistry bachelors degree, but one needs to make sure that they have a good background in the subject they are not majoring in; i.e., an undergraduate majoring in biology needs to take chemistry courses (this is usually a requirement of all undergraduate biology majors), and an undergraduate majoring in chemistry should also take biology courses. Of course, there are also specifically biochemistry courses that students should take. Additionally, it is important to be well versed in mathematics and physics.

As students advance in their undergraduate career, they will take more specific science courses based on their specific interests. For example, they could take classes in botany, molecular biology, biophysics, biomedical sciences, or structural biology (how molecules are organized into cells and tissues), depending on where their research interests lie.

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Biochemistry - Definition, Careers and Major | Biology Dictionary

CCSU community pays tribute to student who passed away  FOX61 Hartford

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CCSU community pays tribute to student who passed away - FOX61 Hartford