Biochemistry is the study of the chemicals and chemistry of living organisms. Biochemists study biomolecules (such as proteins, RNA, DNA, sugars, and lipids), their applications and interactions in the body, and biochemical and metabolic processes. Biochemists apply their knowledge to design drugs, genetically engineer plants and microbes, and understand more about how life works at the molecular level. The field of biochemistry is very broad, incorporating aspects of biology with physical, inorganic, and organic chemistry. This broadness means biochemists can choose a specific area to specialize in and that biochemistry degree holders can seek positions beyond research and development.
Because biochemistry and molecular biology are interdisciplinary, a degree in biochemistry offers plenty of career options besides working as a biochemist or molecular biologist. The chemical knowledge acquired on the path to biochemistry can be applied to other chemical disciplines such as organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, food chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and more.
Before anything else, biochemists must purify and identify the protein or compound they are analyzing. Purification techniques such as column chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography are common techniques. Chemistry-focused identification techniques include mass spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Biochemists who perform chemical synthesis apply synthetic techniques from organic and inorganic chemistry to design and synthesize therapeutics.
Molecular biology, the study of the structure and function of biomolecules, is by far the most important aspect of biology for a biochemist. Biochemists isolate proteins and nucleic acids using biological blotting techniques like Western blotting or special chromatography techniques such as ion exchange chromatography. Microbiology and plant biology alongside genetics and epigenetics are employed by genetic engineers to bioengineer bacteria that produces insulin or resilient crops that yield more food or nutrients. Some choose to focus their study on the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of genomes to be informed about them or to identify industrially or environmentally helpful genes.
What Do Biochemists Do?
Biochemists can immerse themselves in many different subdisciplines. Some biochemists choose to focus on biomolecules and study the structure and function of proteins, while others may use this functional and structural knowledge to develop an effective drug to target that protein. Another possibility is discovering and understanding the biochemical pathways involved in food and drug metabolism.
Biochemists who enjoy computer programming and software development as well as protein structures can specialize in building and improving state-of-the-art modeling programs that allow other biochemists to digitally visualize molecular protein structures in order to better understand their structures and functions. These programs include standard modeling software that can be used to visualize and manipulate proteins, while others may focus on the ability to use protein structures to design drug structures that affect that protein. Some biochemists focus on identifying protein structures using X-ray crystallography. Once biophysicists elucidate the structure of a protein, medicinal chemists and other biochemists can use that structure to develop a highly-specific drug that targets the protein.
What Careers are There in Biochemistry?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), careers as life scientists are some of the fastest-growing jobs in United States. As the population continues to age, the demand for new medications will continue to increase alongside the demand for more nutritious foods and resilient crops to feed the growing population. The most obvious answer to this question is the most broad—a career as a biochemical scientist who works as a biochemist or biophysicist.
But what other things can you do with a biochemistry degree? The broad set of skills acquired during the study of biochemistry sets graduates up to work in any number of scientist or laboratory technician positions, depending on the level of education attained. To do independent research and lead independent projects, a PhD is often required—but biochemists can still work alongside scientists and do impactful research with only a bachelor's or master's degree.
Biochemist
Biochemists rank #4 in Best Science Jobs, as of August 2024, according to U.S. News and World Report. Biochemical and biophysical scientists are researchers who aim to study biological chemicals, biological processes, drugs, and to develop diagnostic tests. With a projected growth rate of 7 percent from 2022-2032 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), fueled by an increased need for effective therapies in an aging population, the job demand and availability for biochemical scientists is growing 10 points faster than the 5 percent average growth for most careers. This increased demand comes from the constant need to develop therapeutics for diseases such as cancer and heart disease, but also includes those who conduct basic research to understand biochemical processes and biomolecules.
Agricultural and Food Scientists
Biochemistry is easily applied to agricultural and food science. Food scientists may work to study and identify the nutrition content of foods and how to improve the sustainability of our food production. Agricultural chemists may study pesticides or herbicides to reduce toxicity against non-targeted plants and animals, or may participate in genetic engineering to produce crops that are more resilient against pests, pesticides, and bad weather.
Medicinal Scientist/Epidemiologist
Medicinal scientists and epidemiologists rank #3 in Best Science Jobs, as of August 2024, according to U.S. News and World Report. Medicinal scientists are responsible for synthesizing and researching new and improved drugs and medical devices to treat diseases. They are the people focused on designing experiments and then analyzing and publishing the results of their experiments. Medical scientists may innovate new diagnostic tests, medical devices, new medicines and therapies, or may study the toxicity and safety of current therapies, environmental pollutants, and other chemicals. Epidemiologists are medical scientists who focus on the study of diseases, both communicable and non-communicable, and study how to treat them to reduce their spread or prevalence.
Biological Technician
Technicians are the people responsible for the hands-on work of the laboratory. Biological technicians will run biological and biochemical assays—investigative and analytic processes performed in labs—configure and run the machines that perform the assays, and record their results. The types of biological technicians are as diverse as the types of biological scientists, so the work will vary depending on the laboratory. The three aforementioned scientist positions are aided in the laboratory by biological technicians. Other biological technicians may perform work in microbiology, histology, toxicology, chemical synthesis, and more.
Although these four careers focus more on the application of both biology and chemistry, a degree in biochemistry can also lead to other positions as a chemist or a biologist, depending on the desired focus area. For those more interested in chemistry, potential positions include:
- Chemical Engineer
- Chemistry Professor
- Chemistry Teacher
- Clinical Chemist
- Geoscientist
- Materials Scientist or Engineer
- Organic, Inorganic, or Physical Chemist
- Polymer Chemist
- Process Chemist
- Surface Chemist
Additional career possibilities with a degree in biochemistry include:
- Bioengineer or Biomedical Engineer
- Clinical Biologist
- Dentist
- Ecologist
- Forensic Scientist
- Microbiologist
- Molecular Biologist
- Natural Science Manager
- Pathologist
- Pharmacist
- Physician (General Practitioner or Specialist)
- Public Health Analyst or Officer
- Toxicologist
What Skills and Qualities Do Biochemists Need?
- Critical Thinking: The ability to think critically and logically is vital to being an excellent scientist. Biochemists must have the hunger to ask questions about everything and want to know the truth.
- Perseverance: In all scientific research, perseverance is required due to the long work hours and necessary dedication needed to achieve results. Researchers must be able to continue on for weeks, months, or years and be willing to begin again if their first efforts do not lead to solutions.
- Reading and Writing skills: Researchers are required to read and synthesize the many scientific papers in a literature review in order to support the logic and claims in their own papers. Scientists must also be able to effectively write and clearly communicate their thoughts to their peers.
- Interpersonal Skills: Scientists commonly work in interdisciplinary teams, with specialists from different fields working together on a single research project. This means that scientists must be able to work well with others. The ability to motivate and lead others are helpful skills.
- Grant Writing: Research involves securing funding for projects. Grants from governments and organizations are a key component. Being able to compile research methods, plans, and potential results into a short, informative, authoritative, and compelling grant paper is key to standing out among the competition.
- Observation Skills: Any person who observes and interprets data must ensure that nothing relevant escapes their attention. A keen eye for detail saves time, money, and effort in the laboratory, and will help answer questions as well as making researchers aware of more and new questions that need to be answered.
- Technical Skill: Technical skill is the ability to work with the tools, techniques, and technology of the laboratory. Being able to perform, read, interpret, and extrapolate from biochemical assays is a key part of any biochemist's career.
- Open Minded: Being open to the thoughts and input of others gives biochemists opportunities for self-improvement and opens up possibilities to gather new ideas for new experiments and innovative theories.
- Curiosity: Though not a requirement, curiosity is a useful quality for biochemists. The desire to know and understand the world prompts many important research questions— and the answers often uncover more interesting questions.
What Will I Need to Learn to Become a Biochemist?
Biochemistry students can expect to take classes in calculus, physics, biology, chemistry, and writing. Chemistry classes include general chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. Students can opt to specialize in one of these subdisciplines to better prepare for their desired career path. Those who want to study medicinal chemistry would find it useful to take higher-level organic chemistry, pharmaceutical chemistry, and drug design courses. Those who prefer to focus more on biology can opt for extra classes in bioinformatics, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, and genetics.
What Tasks Do Biochemists Do?
The tasks biochemists are expected to perform vary depending on their specialization and level of education. PhD researchers such as professors and industry professionals are heavily involved in experimental design, paper writing, editing, and reviewing, and team leadership for the projects they pursue. These researchers are typically less involved in daily laboratory work and assays, but may oversee multiple projects and delegate tasks to junior scientists and technicians. Doctoral researchers may be overseeing many projects at the same time, but still find time to work hands-on in the lab performing key assays and creating models in the laboratory.
People who hold bachelor's degrees start as technicians—the people responsible for the hands-on work of running the biochemical assays and experiments in the laboratory. A master's degree is the minimum requirement to begin performing more independent lab work and research, but they will still work closely with a supervisor.
How Much Do Biochemists Earn?
The income of biochemistry degree holders varies widely based on level of education and field of work. For example, someone who decides to attend medical school and earn an MD will earn significantly more than an MS scientist who works in a lab. Simultaneously, a master's or doctoral researcher will expect to earn much more than someone who chose to enter primary education.
For those who choose to become a biochemist, their level of education and where they work will decide what they earn. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for biochemists is $120,310, while entry level salary is $57,949 (Payscale) and the top 10 percent make $175,790. Income will vary based on profession, specialization, experience, and industry.
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Figures from payscale.com, accessed August 2024.
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Figures from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), dated May 2023.
What is The Future of Biochemistry?
Overall, the field of biochemistry is rapidly expanding as the demand for newer and safer therapies, more accurate diagnostics, more productive and resilient crops, and the need to understand life at the molecular level continues to increase. The continued rapid growth of the biochemical sciences in agriculture, health, and industry means excellent employment outlooks and job security for those who hold a biochemistry degree.
Biochemists play an important role in making discoveries and finding solutions to world challenges. For example, there is still much we don't know at the molecular level. Many chemists and molecular biologists are performing research on how the human body functions at the molecular level. There are also those who study microorganisms to better understand them and potentially apply that knowledge to the creation of useful therapeutics.
Genetic engineering is viewed as a way to expand the food supply for the growing world population. The improvement of diagnostic methods will catch diseases before they heavily impact people. The constant threat of antimicrobial resistance will also be countered by continued research on antimicrobials that employ different mechanisms of action.
