Various areas that I can apply into as a biochemist
Q5. I want to have a brief knowledge about all the various areas that I can apply into as a biochemist. Also the role and tasks performed by a biochemist in these areas.
As a biochemist you can touch down all the areas but the major career areas in this field as given below:
Agriculture: A Biochemist engaged in this field develops and invent new improved techniques for crop cultivation, pest control management and crop storage management. Biochemists make huge contributions in this field which has helped industries to better the output and quality of agricultural produce. The companies that generally give employment to biochemists in this field include seed companies, agricultural universities/colleges, chemical manufacturing companies, agricultural department etc.
Medicine: Biochemists working in medicine are sometimes called as ‘molecular biologists’. Biochemists are required to perform diagnostic tests and investigations for finding out causes of various diseases confronting mankind. Their major task is to study the role of genetic transmission of diseases from one generation to another. Study of bacteria, viruses, and other organisms to better understand the chemical basis of life is an important function of a biochemist. As a biochemist you will have to figure out the chemical change that takes place in the cells of the body parts which signals the onset of various diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer, diabetes, mental disorders like epilepsy etc. Research related to identification and analysis of chemical processes like muscular contraction, reproduction, metabolism etc. is also related to your job as a biochemist. Providing a diagnostic service, carrying out tests on blood, urine and other body fluids, alongside researching the underlying causes of disease and the methods of treatment is a common duty of a biochemist. Hospitals, public health laboratories and medical research institutes, as well as the pharmaceutical industry, are the main employers of biochemists.
Research: Biochemistry comes with intense research. Biochemists are employed to carry out research in various fields like development of new crops, pest control methods, quality improvement, drug manufacturing, identifying cause of various diseases in living organisms etc. Employment opportunities exist in research labs in biotechnology companies, pharmaceutical companies, private industry, and non-profit research institutes, in forensic labs and in government laboratories. You can also work as researcher at colleges and universities in the areas of biochemistry.
Food and Nutrition: Biochemists in nutrition analyze food products to measure their vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals. Nutritional biochemists improve the health of both humans and animals. A nutritional biochemist that specializes in animals usually works in the agriculture industry developing new feed and conducting animal science research. A nutritional biochemist for humans tries to improve public health, either by reducing malnourishment or analyzing the nutritional components of certain diseases such as diabetes or obesity. In this field biochemists have researched and studied the effects of certain food stuffs, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins, when consumed in excess or in deficient quantities, on the human body. A biochemist in this field is also required to work on developing new crops or making crops that improve human health. There are also positions for nutritional biochemists in the Nutraceutical industries for examining or developing food that can provide medicinal benefits.
Drug Development: Drug companies employ biochemists to research the causes of disease and to develop drugs to combat these diseases. Biochemists in this field, diagnoses disease and develop new drug compounds, vaccines etc.
Education: As a biochemist you get various opportunities as educators, as high school teachers, professors and curriculum developers. To become a professor you need to possess a doctorate degree in biochemistry. Curriculum developers work with publishing companies, online education providers and state boards of education to develop educational standards for high school or post-secondary students. The minimum education requirement for curriculum development is an undergraduate degree, though most employers will prefer to hire curriculum developers with some teaching or technical writing experience.
Administrative positions: The increasing reliance on biochemical technology in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology industries requires administrators, consultants and legislative aides who have a thorough understanding of modern biochemistry. Some biochemists are self-employed consultants who advise government or industry.
