Greetings, Reader!
We hope you’re here for your love for all things chemistry, or simply because you want to learn something new that’s out of your curriculum! Here at the Chemistry Club we try to bring to you content in a way that’s easy to understand, and fun to learn. This month’s theme is Biochemistry, and we will be bringing a series of articles on the topic for you to have fun reading. But first, what is Biochemistry?
“Biochemistry is the science of life.All our life processes-walking, talking, moving, feeding-are essentially chemical reactions.” - Aaron Ciechanover
What is Biochemistry?
Biochemistry is a branch of science involving the chemical processes that go on in living organisms. As its name suggests, it’s a combination of chemistry and biology that’s predominantly lab-based, using the principles of chemistry to solve biological processes (like cell metabolism, for example) and understand biological problems. It’s considered both a life and chemical science, exploring the molecular basis for the changes occuring in cells. Biochemistry covers all kinds of molecules in living organisms- the key ones include proteins, carbohydrates, enzymes, and lipids(fats).
Indeed, it’s become essential in understanding all the biological processes that occur in the body !
What is the difference between chemistry and biochemistry?
Chemistry focuses on substances, their energies, properties, structures and interactions. It deals with both inorganic and organic matter. Biochemistry, on the other hand, only deals with the study of compounds in organisms, which consist mainly of (but not limited to) organic molecules, and the application of chemical principles in the roles, structures and reactions of these compounds. It includes study of biological macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. One of the exceptions to the matter studied in biochemistry that isn’t organic, is amino acids that synthesise proteins. Another would be the metal ions that take part in the biological reactions occurring in a cell.
Branches of Biochemistry
There are various branches of Biochemistry some of which include the following:
Enzymology: this is the study of how enzymes function to catalyse chemical reactions in organisms. All from a biochemical viewpoint.
Xenobiotics: this covers the chemistry behind how “foreign substances” are metabolised. These foreign substances could include drugs, pesticides, food additives and even snake venom !
Endocrinology: We know that hormones are vital in our daily life: they control our sleep, internal temperatures, moods and much more ! Endocrinology delves into the functions of these essential chemicals in our body.
Immunology :What would we do without our immune system to protect us against all those infectious diseases caused by viruses and bacteria ? Immunology is the study of the functions of this life-saving defence mechanism !
Neurochemistry: this branch is concerned with the study of chemicals in our nervous system.
As you may now notice, all these branches provide an in-depth study of the chemistry behind different biological processes in living organisms. We shall be bringing interesting articles that focus on some of these branches soon, so make sure not to miss them !
Career Opportunities
Biochemistry can open doors to exciting career options. As of 2019, biochemists earn a median salary of about $94,490. Most biochemists work in research teams, simultaneously working with experts in other fields like physics and biology. Typically, biochemists conduct experiments in the labs and analyze results- for instance, a biochemist may study a gene mutation in an organism that has given rise to cancer. Biochemists can also work in fields such as forensics, food technology, and pharmaceuticals. Especially during the Covid pandemic, biochemists are much needed for vaccine development !
By : Maheshi Parwani and Mythri Subash
Bibliography :
Comentários