Biochemist
Encyclopedia
Biochemists are scientists who are trained in biochemistry
. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."
In biochemistry, researchers often break down complicated biological systems into its component parts. About 75% work in either basic or applied research; those in applied research take the fruits of basic research and employ them for the benefit of medicine, agriculture, veterinary science, environmental science, and manufacturing. Each of these fields offers safe harbor for the biochemist in search of a specialty, with clinical biochemists, for example, working in hospital laboratories and studying various tissues and body fluids to help them understand and treat diseases; and industrial biochemists, for another, involved in analytical research work such as checking the purity of food and beverages.
Research biochemists may find work in the labs of biotechnology companies; agricultural, medical, and veterinary institutes; and, in the case of half of all biochemists, universities. They study chemical reactions in metabolism, growth, reproduction, and heredity and apply techniques drawn from biotechnology and genetic engineering to help them in their research.
The workday usually includes some laboratory duties, such as culturing, filtering, purifying, drying, weighing, and measuring substances using special instruments. Research goes to the study the effects of foods, drugs, allergens and other substances on living tissues. Many biochemists are also interested in molecular biology, the study of life at the molecular level and the study of genes and gene expression. In the lab, biochemists need to have experience working around diverse liquid and gaseous chemicals and must know to take appropriate precautionary measures. The word "chemistry" is in biochemistry because of the molecular focus of biochemistry. Understanding biochemistry requires important understanding of organic
and inorganic chemistry
.
is the minimum requirement for any work in this field. This is sufficient for a position as a technical assistant in industry or in academic settings. A Ph.D. (or equivalent) is generally required to pursue or direct independent research. To advance further in commercial environments, one may need to acquire skills in management
.
In college, students take many chemistry classes in addition to the required calculus, physics, and other core classes. Basic classes in biology
including (but not limited to) microbiology
, molecular biology
, molecular genetics
, cell biology
, and genomics
are focused on. All types of chemistry
are required with emphasis on biochemistry
and organic chemistry
.
Biochemistry is a highly demanding and difficult field requiring research even at undergraduate level.
field where biochemists frequently work in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology
industry. In this field biochemists would be in a research role. The current national average salary for a biochemist is approximately $69,000 per year. In some areas this average may be as high as $160,000+ or more - it depends on the abilities and experience. Fresh out of school they can make anywhere between 15-32 dollars an hour.
Academia is also a promising avenue for biochemists. As principal investigators hi an academic institution, biochemists can pursue their own research agenda. It is not uncommon for biochemists in academia to also be involved with their own biochemistry start-up companies. Biochemists in academia are also involved with teaching undergraduates, training graduate students and collaborating with post-doctoral fellows.
Because of a biochemists' background in both biology and chemistry, there are many other employment areas such as medical, industrial, governmental and environmental fields. The field of medicine offers related careers such as nutrition
, genetics
, biophysics
and pharmacology
; industrial needs include everything from beverage and food technology to toxicology
and vaccine
production; while governmental and environmental fields require biochemists to work on everything from forensic science and wildlife management
to marine biology
and viticulture
. This incredibly wide range makes biochemistry an extremely flexible career choice.
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
. Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in living organisms. The prefix of "bio" in "biochemist" can be understood as a fusion of "biological chemist."
Role
The most common "industry" role is to develop biochemical products and processes. This can be done by conducting in vitro research, analysis, synthesis and experimenting. Identifying substances' chemical and physical properties in biological systems is of great importance, and can be carried out by doing various types of analysis'. Biochemists must also prepare technical reports after collecting, analyzing and summarizing the information and trends found.In biochemistry, researchers often break down complicated biological systems into its component parts. About 75% work in either basic or applied research; those in applied research take the fruits of basic research and employ them for the benefit of medicine, agriculture, veterinary science, environmental science, and manufacturing. Each of these fields offers safe harbor for the biochemist in search of a specialty, with clinical biochemists, for example, working in hospital laboratories and studying various tissues and body fluids to help them understand and treat diseases; and industrial biochemists, for another, involved in analytical research work such as checking the purity of food and beverages.
Research biochemists may find work in the labs of biotechnology companies; agricultural, medical, and veterinary institutes; and, in the case of half of all biochemists, universities. They study chemical reactions in metabolism, growth, reproduction, and heredity and apply techniques drawn from biotechnology and genetic engineering to help them in their research.
The workday usually includes some laboratory duties, such as culturing, filtering, purifying, drying, weighing, and measuring substances using special instruments. Research goes to the study the effects of foods, drugs, allergens and other substances on living tissues. Many biochemists are also interested in molecular biology, the study of life at the molecular level and the study of genes and gene expression. In the lab, biochemists need to have experience working around diverse liquid and gaseous chemicals and must know to take appropriate precautionary measures. The word "chemistry" is in biochemistry because of the molecular focus of biochemistry. Understanding biochemistry requires important understanding of organic
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
and inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry
Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and behavior of inorganic compounds. This field covers all chemical compounds except the myriad organic compounds , which are the subjects of organic chemistry...
.
Training
A degree in biochemistry or a related science such as chemistryChemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
is the minimum requirement for any work in this field. This is sufficient for a position as a technical assistant in industry or in academic settings. A Ph.D. (or equivalent) is generally required to pursue or direct independent research. To advance further in commercial environments, one may need to acquire skills in management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
.
In college, students take many chemistry classes in addition to the required calculus, physics, and other core classes. Basic classes in biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
including (but not limited to) microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
, molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
, molecular genetics
Molecular genetics
Molecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology...
, cell biology
Cell biology
Cell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
, and genomics
Genomics
Genomics is a discipline in genetics concerning the study of the genomes of organisms. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis,...
are focused on. All types of chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
are required with emphasis on biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
and organic chemistry
Organic chemistry
Organic chemistry is a subdiscipline within chemistry involving the scientific study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparation of carbon-based compounds, hydrocarbons, and their derivatives...
.
Biochemistry is a highly demanding and difficult field requiring research even at undergraduate level.
Employment
The area of employment for biochemists is in the life sciencesLife sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, like plants, animals, and human beings. While biology remains the centerpiece of the life sciences, technological advances in molecular biology and biotechnology have led to a burgeoning of...
field where biochemists frequently work in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
industry. In this field biochemists would be in a research role. The current national average salary for a biochemist is approximately $69,000 per year. In some areas this average may be as high as $160,000+ or more - it depends on the abilities and experience. Fresh out of school they can make anywhere between 15-32 dollars an hour.
Academia is also a promising avenue for biochemists. As principal investigators hi an academic institution, biochemists can pursue their own research agenda. It is not uncommon for biochemists in academia to also be involved with their own biochemistry start-up companies. Biochemists in academia are also involved with teaching undergraduates, training graduate students and collaborating with post-doctoral fellows.
Because of a biochemists' background in both biology and chemistry, there are many other employment areas such as medical, industrial, governmental and environmental fields. The field of medicine offers related careers such as nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, genetics
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
, biophysics
Biophysics
Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems...
and pharmacology
Pharmacology
Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
; industrial needs include everything from beverage and food technology to toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
and vaccine
Vaccine
A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism, and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe or its toxins...
production; while governmental and environmental fields require biochemists to work on everything from forensic science and wildlife management
Wildlife management
Wildlife management attempts to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of people using the best available science. Wildlife management can include game keeping, wildlife conservation and pest control...
to marine biology
Marine biology
Marine biology is the scientific study of organisms in the ocean or other marine or brackish bodies of water. Given that in biology many phyla, families and genera have some species that live in the sea and others that live on land, marine biology classifies species based on the environment rather...
and viticulture
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
. This incredibly wide range makes biochemistry an extremely flexible career choice.