General Biochemistry Notes (BCM 2101)
Instructor: Dr. Ati, Boniface Unimke
Date: 14/11/2025
Introduction to Biochemistry
Biochemistry can be defined as the Science of the biochemical basics of life. As the name implies, Biochemistry is the chemistry of living organisms (microorganisms, plants, or animals) are basically made up of the same chemical components.
Biochemistry is the study of the way in which these chemical components are synthesized and utilized by the organism in their life processes.
Biochemistry can further be described as the Science of chemical constituents of living cells and of the reaction and processes they undergo.
These entails that Biochemistry encompasses large areas of cell biology and molecular biology, molecular genetics.
The Aim of BCM is to describe and explain in molecular terms all chemical processes of living cells.
Areas of Specialization/Branches
Biochemistry has numerous branches. These include:
* Analytical Biochemistry
* Biochemical Engineering
* Toxicological Biochemistry
* Carbohydrate Biochemistry
* Plants Biochemistry
* Neuro Biochemistry
* Pharmacological Biochemistry
* Protein Biochemistry
* Endocrine Biochemistry
* Environmental Biochemistry
* Industrial Biochemistry
* Membrane Biochemistry
* Forensic Biochemistry
* Lipid Biochemistry
* Food Biochemistry
* Molecular Biology & Bioinformatics
* Enzymology
* etc.
The Current Areas of Research Specialization includes:
* Toxicological Biochemistry
* Nutritional and Food Biochemistry
* Medical and Clinical Biochemistry
* Enzymology Biochemistry
* Biochemical Endocrinology
* Molecular Biology & Bioengineering
* Lipid Biochemistry
* Natural Products/Plant Biochemistry
* Industrial/Environmental Biochemistry
* Pharmacological Biochemistry
Relationship with Medicine and its Importance
There exists a reciprocal relationship between biochemistry and medicine. Biochemical studies have illuminated many aspects of health and disease, and conversely, the study of various aspect of health and disease has open up new areas of biochemistry.
For example, knowledge of the biochemical molecule such as acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates has clarified our understanding of the cell diseases, genetic diseases, sickle cell anaemia, atherosclerosis and Diabetes mellitus regulation, to mention others.
The disease mentioned above have cast light on many areas of biochemistry. Biochemistry concerns itself with the study of various molecules that occur in living cells and organism and with their chemical reactions and processes because life depends on biochemical reactions.
Biochemistry has become the basic language of all biological sciences.
