Biochemistry Program

Purdue's biochemistry program incorporates broad preparation in chemistry and biology, supplemented by one year of mathematics, and physics. The focal point is a three semester sequence in general biochemistry. Additional analytical biochemistry courses provide experience in laboratory techniques specially suited for working with complex mixtures of sensitive biomolecules.

Students planning for graduate work are encouraged to do an undergraduate research project. Those who qualify select a research project in consultation with a biochemistry faculty member, then conduct that project in the research laboratories of the faculty member. These students work directly with faculty and advanced graduate students, using excellent research equipment and facilities. They learn how research is done and begin to develop their ability to design meaningful experiments.  The most successful students enter an honors program that frequently leads to a publication of the undergraduate research results in one of the premier journals of biochemical research.

It is also possible to develop a second area of concentration, such as biology, biophysics, genetics, nutrition, plant science, pharmacology, or toxicology.

Why is the Department of Biochemistry a part of the College of Agriculture?

Biochemistry is the basic science underpinning all of life science.  Consequently, it relates equally well to agriculture, medicine, pharmacy, and all other life-science based fields.  In Land Grant Universities, like Purdue, Wisconsin, Kansas State, etc, biochemistry is almost always found in the College of Agriculture for historical reasons:  it grew out of research on agricultural problems and those Universities were the ones that had Agriculture (the field of biochemistry really started in the early 20th century with vitamin hunting, and that was usually in a College of Agriculture). 

In Universities with Medical Schools, biochemistry is almost always a part of the College of Medicine, since it is one of the basic medical sciences that all first year medical students take.  It is rare for biochemistry to be located in the College of Science in any University, with the exception of biochemistry divisions that are part of a larger chemistry or biology department, not independent units.