Scope of Biochemistry
Objective
• At the end of this lecture, student will be able to
– Explain the scope of Biochemistry
– Discuss importance of Biochemistry
Scope of Biochemistry
• The term Biochemistry was introduced by Carl Neuberg in 1903
• Biochemistry broadly deals with the chemistry of life and living processes
• The subject basically deals with the study of various chemical processes taking place within a living organism
• Every aspect of life-birth, growth, reproduction, aging and death involves biochemistry; therefore every movement of life is packed with hundreds of biochemical reactions
• Biochemistry is the most rapidly developing and most innovative subject in medicine
• Advances in biochemistry have tremendous impact on human welfare, and have largely benefited mankind and their living styles
• It include the application of biochemistry in the laboratory or the diagnosis of diseases
• The products (insulin, interferon, growth hormone etc) obtained from genetic engineering and the possible use of gene therapy in the near future
• A Knowledge of Biochemistry is essential to all Life Sciences
• The biochemistry of the nucleic acids lies at the heart of genetics; in turn, the use of genetic approaches has been critical for elucidating many areas of biochemistry
• Physiology, the study of body function, overlaps with biochemistry almost completely
• Immunology employs numerous biochemical techniques and many immunologic approaches have found wide use by biochemists
• Pharmacology rest on a sound knowledge of biochemistry and physiology; in particular, most drugs are metabolized by enzyme- catalyzed reactions
• Poisons act on biochemical reactions or processes; this is the subject matter of toxicology
• Biochemical approaches are being used increasingly to study basic aspects of pathology (the study of disease), such as inflammation, cell injury, and cancer
• Many workers in microbiology, zoology and botany employ biochemical approaches almost exclusively
• The two major concerns for workers in the health sciences—and particularly physicians—are the understanding and maintenance of health and the understanding and effective treatment of diseases. Biochemistry impacts enormously on both of these fundamental concerns of medicine
• These relationships are not surprising, because life as we know it depends on biochemical reactions and processes. In fact, the old barriers among the life sciences are breaking down, and biochemistry is increasingly becoming their common language
Summary
• Biochemistry is the most rapidly developing and most innovative subject in medicine
• Biochemistry broadly deals with the chemistry of life and living processes
• A Knowledge of Biochemistry is essential to all Life Sciences
• Biochemistry is linked with other branches like immunology, Genentics, Physiology, pharmacology, toxicology, pathology etc
FAQs
- What is the role of biochemistry in medicine? Biochemistry contributes to drug discovery, molecular diagnostics, and understanding disease mechanisms at the molecular level.
- How does biochemistry impact agriculture? Biochemistry enables crop improvement through genetic engineering, biotechnological interventions, and the development of sustainable agricultural practices.
- What are some key techniques used in biochemical research? Chromatography, spectroscopy, and molecular biology techniques such as PCR and DNA sequencing are commonly used in biochemical research.
- What are some emerging trends in biochemistry? Emerging trends include systems biology, metabolomics, and synthetic biology, which aim to understand and engineer biological systems at the molecular level.
- What career opportunities are available in biochemistry? Career opportunities in biochemistry include research and teaching positions in academia, roles in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, and positions in government agencies focused on public health and environmental protection.
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