Information
about Careers
By Dinesh Kamath
Biochemist
Introduction
Biochemists study the chemistry of plants and
animals and analyses their cells and tissues. They use their findings to solve
problems in food processing, drug manufacturing, agriculture and medicine. They
may develop new processes or products using their knowledge and research. They
study the chemical reactions that take place in the cells of every living
organism.
Biochemists are scientists trained in biochemistry.
Typical biochemists study chemical processes and chemical transformations in
living organisms. The word "biochemist" is a portmanteau of
"biological chemist".
Biochemists also research how certain chemical
reactions happen in cells and tissues and observe and record the effects of
products as in food additives and medicines. The main function of a biochemist
is to focus on improving the qualities of lives.
Biochemist researchers focus on planning and
conducting research experiments, mainly for developing new products, updating
existing products and analyzing said products. It is also the responsibility of
a biochemist to present their research findings and create grant proposals to
obtain funds for future research.
Biochemists study aspects of the immune system, the
expressions of genes, isolating, analyzing, and synthesizing different
products, mutations that lead to cancers, and manage laboratory teams and
monitor laboratory work. Biochemists also have to have the capabilities of
designing and building laboratory equipment and devise new methods of producing
correct results for products.
The most common industry role is the development of
biochemical products and processes. 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 their component parts. They study the
effects of foods, drugs, allergens and other substances on living tissues; they
research molecular biology, the study of life at the molecular level and the
study of genes and gene expression; and 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. About 75%
work in either basic or applied research; those in applied research take basic
research and employ it for the benefit of medicine, agriculture, veterinary
science, environmental science, and manufacturing. Each of these fields allows
specialization; for example, clinical biochemists can work in hospital
laboratories to understand and treat diseases, and industrial biochemists can
be involved in analytical research work, such as checking the purity of food
and beverages.
Biochemists in the field of agriculture research the
interactions between herbicides with plants. They examine the relationships of
compounds, determining their ability to inhibit growth, and evaluate the
toxicological effects surrounding life.
Biochemists also prepare pharmaceutical compounds
for commercial distribution.
Training
Some of the job skills and abilities that one needs
to attain to be successful in this field of work are that you need to be
successful in science, mathematics, reading comprehension, writing, and
critical thinking. These skills are critical because of experimental techniques
that are used and because you must have to convey orally and written the trends
found in your research.
Biochemists also need to understand inductive
reasoning to take different concept and information to make develop theories,
conclusions and finding a correlation between events that have no relation.
With this biochemist must understand deductive reasoning as well. This means
taking general information and piecing it together to arrive to a logical
conclusion.
A degree in biochemistry or a related science such
as 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 the private industries for businesses, it is
imperative to possess strong business management skills as well as
communication skills. Biochemists must also be familiar with regulatory rules
and management techniques.
Employment
Biochemists are typically employed in the life
sciences, where they work in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry in a
research role. They are also employed in academic institutes, where in addition
to pursuing their research they may also be involved with teaching
undergraduates, training graduate students, and collaborating with
post-doctoral fellows.
Because of a biochemists' background in both biology
and chemistry, they may also be employed in the medical, industrial,
governmental, and environmental fields. Slightly more than half of the
biological scientists are employed by the Federal State
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