Gauri Chhabra
Interested in acareer that belongs to the present century? That touches a huge range of organisms, from bacterium to humans? Would you like to be associated with the determination of effects of chemicals on cancer, aging or obesity?
If yes, Biochemistry is the right discipline for you to get into. A career that blends Chemistry with life and living things. A career that occupies a large surface area – from health, agriculture, to environment.
What is Biochemistry?
Biochemistry is the discipline about the structure, composition and chemical reactions of substances in living organisms. It is an interdisciplinary program in which the principles of chemistry, biology, genetics, mathematics and physics is applied to the investigations of biomolecules, atoms, organelles, cells, tissues and organisms.It serves as an edifice for biotechnology and molecular biology techniques, ranging from biomolecular computation and modeling, to regulation of gene expression.
Eligibility and skillset required
To gain admission into a 3-year Bachelor’s degree program in Biochemistry, you must have passed 10+2 with Mathematics and Biology as major subjects with requisite percentage of marks.For admission to a Master’s degree, you must have a bachelor’s from the relevant field from a recognized university.After M.Sc., you can opt for Junior Research Fellowship program by appearing in the NET/UGCCSIR JRF exam which will give you a roadmap in Lectureship, Research and Development, Allied Work and Consulting. Some colleges in India also offer MD in Biochemistry to MBBS graduates.
You will need research, analytical and problem-solving skills besides good written and oral communication skills, excellent computational, organizational and observational skills and Understanding of complex biological systems.
Institute Scape
*AsutoshCollege, Kolkata
*DS Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Ghaziabad
*HolyCrossCollege, Tiruchirappalli
*MMHRC, Madurai
*MithibaiCollege of Arts, Mumbai
*Orion Institute of Management and Technology, Baroda
*PunjabUniversity, Chandigarh
*Sacred HeartCollege, Tirupattur
*SriVenkateswaraCollege, Delhi
*St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad
Career Pathways:
There is a plethora of career options before you in the following fields:
Forensic Science
You would be helping forensic scientists by obtaining information from specimens such as frozen remains of humans and other animals such as wooly mammoths.
Food safety and food quality
You would be required to perform sophisticated biochemical assays for the testing of foodstuffs for toxins, prevention of the importation of harmful fungi in wheat, as well as monitoring levels of pesticides in foodstuffs. In many instances, the amounts of contaminants can be extremely small, but detecting them is vital. Scientists proficient in amplification techniques have proven invaluable in detecting harmful contaminants in food.
Quality Control
In case you are a graduate in biochemistry, you can work as a quality control technician in labs, manufacturing plants or other facilities. You would review products ranging from pharmaceutical drugs to food in order to ensure that manufactured goods are safe and compliant with industry and health codes. Besides, you may also inspect items for discoloration or test products in varying environments looking for any chemical changes that may occur. Your work may include using microscopes and other equipment to observe and monitor physical and chemical properties of products.
Pharmaceutical Sales
Pharmaceutical sales representatives combine their knowledge of medical drugs and treatments with their interpersonal skills to generate sales for pharmaceutical companies. You would be coordinating meetings with doctors and medical staff. These professionals travel to hospitals, health care facilities and pharmacies to present a product or treatment.
Clinical Laboratory Technologist
In this role, you would conduct experiments on bacteria, viruses and microorganisms. Technologists may perform tests on levels of compounds in human blood, monitor growth of bacteria or examine the effects of drugs on viruses. Depending on the laboratory environment you are in, you may be involved in a broad range of studies or specialize in a specific field, such as bacteriology or virology. You may find employment in government health agencies, drug manufacturing companies or health care facilities.
Teaching and Research
With the pace of change in the sciences today, especially in biochemistry and molecular biology, there has never been a greater need for qualified teachers. To be able to teach about what research on the human genome is all about and even to do cloning experiments in laboratories, offers vistas of science unparalleled in former generations.
Media and Publishing
If you have fluid and accurate writing skills, you can team up your degree and work as a Scientific Reporter for newspapers, magazines, or for the audio and visual media. Proficient technical writers are always in demand by industry for tasks such as preparing reports, assisting with the development of public presentations by Senior Administrators, generating material for annual reports, and compiling scientific details for patent filings. You can also work in the Publishing industry. Publishers need first-rate Editorial Assistants with precise scientific skills along with a fluid narrative style to help edit textbooks, refine handbooks, and create pamphlets and advertising materials. Most biomedical and chemical companies, too, have websites that equally call for strong scientific communication skills.
Technical writing
With increasingly complicated equipment such as robotic manipulators, high through-put assays, and fluorescent-activated cell sorters being employed in biochemistry, there is a growing demand for people who understand the principles of operation of the apparatus and can also write clear instructions. In addition to the need for effective manuals to accompany complicated scientific equipment, there is a growing need for clear, precise instructional materials to explain molecular biology assay kits that are quite common in many labs.
If you are fluent in more than one language and have the ability to effectively assess both the fixed assets and the intellectual assets of a potential foreign acquisition, you can work as translator of technical documents. There is a considerable shortage of professionals to undertake the critical tasks of accurate translation of biotech and medical transcripts. In the same vein, challenging positions exist for you if you can facilitate multi-national drug trials.
Legal- Intellectual Property Rights
You would be working in close association with attorneys to help them with highly technical cases that involve alleged patent infringements. Besides, the everyday need for advice on writing defensible, clear patents, there is a special need to not only be able to understand the science but to be able to both write and explain it clearly to others. One sub-specialty associated with the law is the development of presentation materials for use in evidentiary hearings and at trials.
Business Analyst
You may become business analyst, working for biotechnology firms and health care industries. You may use your knowledge and experience with sophisticated laboratory equipment to research and recommend new equipment for labs. You may also review business costs, such as electricity or heating expenses, in order to minimize expenses and increase profitability.
As a progressive discipline, Biochemistry belongs to the present century. From the experimental physiologists of the last century it obtained a charter, and, from a few pioneers of its own, it holds a promise of success…
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