Introduction to Biochemistry

The ultimate goal of biochemistry is to explain all life processes in molecular detail. Because life processes are performed by organic molecules the discipline of biochemistry relies heavily on fundamental principles of organic chemistry and other basic sciences. It is of no surprise that the first "biochemists" actually were organic chemists who specialized in the chemistry of compounds derived from living organisms. The text provides an historical overview of some of the key contributions of the early chemists, and of modern 20th century biochemists who have lead the discipline to where it is today. Research endeavors such as the human genome project ultimately owe their success to basic discoveries about the structure of the DNA "double helix" by Watson & Crick and the development of DNA sequencing methods by Fredrick Sanger.