THE CHEMISTRY OF THE LIVING WORLD Biochemists have plenty of job openings in many settings. Which field(s) would you like to work in? Discuss your choices in groups. Agriculture, to develop inexpensive, highyield, nutritious, and sustainable crops. Environmental pollution control. Laboratories analysing the toxicological effects of air, water and soil pollution on people, wildlife, plants, and crops. Development of biofuels and solar fuel. Food and drink production. Clinical, pharmaceutical and healthcare research. Beauty care research. Forensic crime research. Secondary schools/ universities/colleges teaching. Other light energy oxygen carbohydrates carbon dioxide Photosynthesis water 120 Module 3 ELEMENTS 2 WHAT IS BIOCHEMISTRY? Biochemistry is the branch of science that explores the chemical processes that take place inside all living things, from bacteria to plants and animals. Therefore, biochemists have to understand both the living world and the chemical world. Biochemistry is a relatively new laboratory-based science which emerged as a separate discipline when scientists combined biology with organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, and began to study issues like how living things obtain energy from food, the chemical basis of heredity and what fundamental changes occur in disease. There is an important overlap between organic chemistry and biochemistry, but each of the two disciplines includes topics excluded from the other. Biochemistry has helped to develop our understanding of living organisms and has played an important role in contributing to advances in many areas including medicine, agriculture and protection of the environment. Since biochemistry is the study of life at the molecular level, it provides the foundations of a wide range of other scientific disciplines, among which genetics, forensics, microbiology and plant science. Biochemists examine what happens inside our cells by studying how the different components of our cells work together and allow the cell to function. They also look at how cells communicate with each other. Progress in the biochemical understanding of the mechanisms behind many serious diseases has led to investigate possible cures for illnesses, such as cancer and AIDS, and to the formulation of new and improved medicines. Biochemistry also helps us to decode the genetic information found in our DNA. Biochemists have discovered that everyone has their own unique genetic code, or genetic fingerprint , which has led to huge developments in forensic and genetic investigations. Biochemistry also contributes to protecting the environment by fighting pollution and designing biocompatible products. The genetic engineering of plants has led to advances in agriculture, which include crop improvement and resistance to pests and disease. Plant biochemistry largely deals with photosynthesis how plants metabolise carbon dioxide and sunlight to create sugars and release oxygen. It also studies how some plants can filter out contaminants in the environment and break them down into harmless components. advance: progress to allow: to permit branch: area crop: agricultural produce to deal with: to concern to develop: to improve foundation: base harmless: innocuous improved: better issue: topic to occur: to take place overlap: the amount by which two things or activities cover the same area pest: harmful insect or plant to provide: to give, to offer range: series to release: to liberate topic: subject, theme with each other: reciprocally