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What I wish I knew about biochemistry as a freshman

2023-02-13T05:10:22.471Z


A little organic, a little chemistry? Student Niklas Pusinelli explains how studying biochemistry differs from its neighboring disciplines. And why you need perseverance in the beginning.


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Laboratory work is part of the biochemistry degree (symbol image)

Photo: Gorodenkoff Productions OU / iStockphoto / Getty Images

What happens in human cells?

How do hereditary diseases arise?

And what does medicine need to develop gene therapies?

Biochemistry is about the chemistry of life - that is, about all the chemical processes that take place in our body.

Those who are familiar with it can contribute to medicine or pharmacy, for example.

Niklas Pusinelli, 27, is in his first master's semester studying biochemistry at the Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main.

Here he explains how biochemistry differs from biology and chemistry, how the laboratory practicals work and why you shouldn't give up, especially in the first semesters.

The decision to study biochemistry

»Actually, I would have liked to have studied medicine after graduating from high school, but my grades didn't allow for that.

So I first completed an apprenticeship as a surgical assistant.

Working in the hospital, I realized that being a doctor wasn't really my thing.

Rather, I wanted to understand processes on the smallest, on the molecular level.

That's how I got into biochemistry.

»Biochemistry moves at an interface: It examines the processes in living organisms.«

Roughly speaking, biology deals with everything that has to do with plants and animals - but it often doesn't look as deeply as biochemistry.

Chemistry, on the other hand, also has to do with inorganic processes – which are of less interest to a biochemist.

So biochemistry operates at an interface: It examines the processes in living organisms, such as metabolism.

But the boundaries are fluid, it also overlaps with other subjects, such as physics or medicine.

At my university in Frankfurt, preliminary courses in chemistry, physics and math were offered before you started your studies, but you can actually get in without any special prior knowledge.

I didn't take biology or chemistry as an advanced course at school, just physics and French.

During my studies, I didn't have the impression that this was a disadvantage.

But of course you should have a soft spot for natural sciences.«

Content and structure of the course

“In the first few semesters, many are put off at first.

The introductory courses in physics, math or inorganic chemistry first teach the basics and can seem a bit dry.

You should bite your way through that.

Just because someone doesn't enjoy classical physics doesn't mean they don't enjoy biochemistry either.

And the tutorials at least help to understand the whole thing.

You need the basics in the higher semesters.

Because many other courses build on the knowledge that you acquire in the first semesters.

For example, knowledge of organic chemistry is necessary to better understand metabolic pathways.

So it's doubly worth fighting through at the beginning and staying on the ball.

A biochemistry module was offered at my university right from the start: molecular biology.

It teaches the basics of DNA and proteins.

Almost as a treat, so that you stick to the bar.

Each semester you complete an accompanying laboratory internship.

In the biological internship we examined plants and animal preparations under the microscope, in the physical we built circuits to develop a basic physical understanding.

It gets really interesting in the advanced internships in the higher semesters, for example in molecular biology.

There you stand in the lab with a smock on.

The absolute craft of a biochemist is to be able to purify and characterize proteins, you learn that in cellular biochemistry.

With the bachelor thesis you then conduct current research - which can be really complex.

Sometimes I don't understand right away what my fellow students did in their thesis.

All in all, the course structure in biochemistry follows a fairly fixed process, so there is little to change.

But that also means: You stay together with many fellow students until you finish your bachelor’s thesis.

It is therefore best to start looking for a circle of friends in the first semester.

It's also incredibly valuable when you can help each other.

Biochemistry is not a subject that you study on the side.

It helps to study together for exams.«

Career prospects after graduation

»The prospects for biochemists are good, as in other STEM subjects.

After your studies, you can work in the chemical or pharmaceutical industry and in medical areas, for example.

Then it's not just about the know-how from your studies, but also the frustration tolerance that you have developed during the course.

For example, when some experiments just don't want to work.

If you can handle it, it will certainly be useful in your job.

"In the job, it's not just about the know-how from your studies, but also the frustration tolerance that you've developed during the process."

Many choose the classic path after completing their master's degree and do a doctorate.

In this way, they further specialize in a narrower area.

At universities, at private research institutions or for medical and pharmaceutical companies, they research diseases or test the tolerability of drugs.

I can imagine that too.

If I find a place with a topic that I want to work on intensively for three to six years, then I will take this path.

In any case, a career in medicine is no longer an option for me.«

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2023-02-13

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