Student Aid on the Web Skip Navigation

Career Details : Biochemists

   << Back    Add Career to MyFSA

Description

Research or study chemical composition and processes of living organisms that affect vital processes such as growth and aging to determine chemical actions and effects on organisms such as the action of foods, drugs, or other substances on body functions and tissues.

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Education

A bachelor's degree is the minimum formal education required for these occupations. However, many also require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Tasks

  • Studies chemistry of living processes, such as cell development, breathing and digestion, and living energy changes, such as growth, aging, and death.
  • Prepares reports and recommendations based upon research outcomes.
  • Develops and tests new drugs and medications used for commercial distribution.
  • Analyzes foods to determine nutritional value and effects of cooking, canning, and processing on this value.
  • Cleans, purifies, refines, and otherwise prepares pharmaceutical compounds for commercial distribution.
  • Designs and builds laboratory equipment needed for special research projects.
  • Researches and determines chemical action of substances, such as drugs, serums, hormones, and food, on tissues and vital processes.
  • Isolates, analyzes, and identifies hormones, vitamins, allergens, minerals, and enzymes, and determines their effects on body functions.
  • Develops and executes tests to detect disease, genetic disorders, or other abnormalities.
  • Develops methods to process, store, and use food, drugs, and chemical compounds.
  • Examines chemical aspects of formation of antibodies and researches chemistry of cells and blood corpuscles.
  • Researches methods of transferring characteristics, such as resistance to disease, from one organism to another.

    Related Careers

    Important Abilities

    General Work Activities

    Important Skills

    Frequent Work Context

    • Consequence of Error
    • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
    • Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
    • Indoors
    • Frustrating Circumstances

    Related Majors

    Major Add to MyFSA
    Animal Behavioradd Animal Behavior to MyFSA
    Animal Bioscienceadd Animal Bioscience to MyFSA
    Bio-Organic Chemistryadd Bio-Organic Chemistry to MyFSA
    Biochemical Pharmacologyadd Biochemical Pharmacology to MyFSA
    Biochemistryadd Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Biochemistry/Biophysicsadd Biochemistry/Biophysics to MyFSA
    Biochemistry/Cell Biologyadd Biochemistry/Cell Biology to MyFSA
    Biochemistry/Microbiology/Molecular Biologyadd Biochemistry/Microbiology/Molecular Biology to MyFSA
    Biochemistry/Molecular Biologyadd Biochemistry/Molecular Biology to MyFSA
    Biochemistry/Molecular Biology/Cell Biologyadd Biochemistry/Molecular Biology/Cell Biology to MyFSA
    Biochemistry/Molecular Geneticsadd Biochemistry/Molecular Genetics to MyFSA
    Biological Sciences/Molecular Biology/Biochemistryadd Biological Sciences/Molecular Biology/Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Biology/Biochemistryadd Biology/Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Biophysicsadd Biophysics to MyFSA
    Biophysics/Theoretical Biologyadd Biophysics/Theoretical Biology to MyFSA
    Biotechnologyadd Biotechnology to MyFSA
    Cell Biology/Biochemistryadd Cell Biology/Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Cellular Biochemistryadd Cellular Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Industrial Biochemistryadd Industrial Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Microbiology/Biotechnologyadd Microbiology/Biotechnology to MyFSA
    Molecular Biology/Biochemistryadd Molecular Biology/Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Molecular Biology/Biotechnologyadd Molecular Biology/Biotechnology to MyFSA
    Molecular Biophysics/Biochemistryadd Molecular Biophysics/Biochemistry to MyFSA
    Molecular Pharmacologyadd Molecular Pharmacology to MyFSA
    Molecular Pharmacology/Toxicologyadd Molecular Pharmacology/Toxicology to MyFSA
    Pharmacological/Physiological Sciencesadd Pharmacological/Physiological Sciences to MyFSA
    Pharmacologyadd Pharmacology to MyFSA
    Pharmacology/Nutritionadd Pharmacology/Nutrition to MyFSA
    Pharmacology/Toxicologyadd Pharmacology/Toxicology to MyFSA
    Zoologyadd Zoology to MyFSA
       TOP    

    • End of Page