Biochemistry is the branch of science that studies the chemical processes that happen within living organisms. It is an interdisciplinary branch that combines the traditional branches of biology and chemistry. It studies what is happening within our cells and analyses components like proteins, lipids and organelles. It also studies how cells communicate with each other during growth or fighting illness. Biochemists try to understand how the structure of bio-molecules relates to their function, which allows them to predict how molecules will interact with each other and also with our cells. Biochemistry has mainly 3 sub-branches: structural biology, enzymology and metabolism. Much of biochemistry is concerned with the structural and functional aspects and the interactions of biological macromolecules like carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. They provide the structure to cells and perform most of the functions of a organism. The findings of biochemistry are applied primarily in medicine, nutrition and agriculture. In medicine, the role of biochemists is to investigate the causes of diseases and to help in the formulation of a cure. In the field of nutrition, a biochemist studies how to maintain health and also the effects of nutritional deficiencies on the functioning of the body.

In the era of evidence-based medicine, diagnosis of conditions based on the lab report is very important. Despite the urgent need to promptly develop efficient diagnostic tools, for receiving the required approval from regulatory bodies a thorough analytical and clinical validation of various commercial tests before their introduction into the market and their usage in laboratories remains indispensable. Various subjects taught under this degree are General Biochemistry, Physical Chemistry, Biostatistics, Cell and Biophysics, Metabolism and Nutrition, Metabolism and Genetics, Molecular Basis of Human Diseases, Medical Biochemistry, Recent Advances in Biochemistry and Biotechnology etc. Students learn to demonstrate competency in basic concepts of research methodology and epidemiology, practice the speciality of biochemistry in keeping with the principles of professional ethics. The course also includes training in the basic instrumentation and procedures of biochemistry that are required to be practised at all levels of the health care system. Another key objective of M.D. in Biochemistry course is to inculcate an aptitude in the documentation of reports, to work as a trainer with restorative/nursing personnel, rehearsing doctors, and paramedics, to design, fabricate and use indigenous methods/gadgets for experimental purposes in research labs.

Doctor of Medicine (M.D) in Biochemistry is a 3-year post-graduation course. The minimum criterion of eligibility for this course is that the aspiring candidates need to have completed MBBS or BAMS with a minimum aggregate score of 55% along with a 1-year compulsory internship. Often, candidates are required to qualify for an institute, State or national-level entrance test for admission to the course. Graduates in biochemistry are placed in the teaching field in government or private sectors and other fields such as research institutes, agriculture, chemical manufacturing industries, laboratories, nutrition industry, hospitals etc. The most common career opportunity is that of working in clinical labs. The best part about this branch (MD biochemistry), is that the career opportunities never get saturated due to the era of evidence-based medicine and have many new openings due to the development of modern techniques. Labs are in pursuit of being accredited by NABL, which requires an authorized signatory on the lab reports, hence all such labs will have an opening for medical biochemists. In the upcoming field of environmental medicine, medical biochemists are employed to inspect for the presence of toxic chemicals in industrial waste. A degree in MD biochemistry equips you with enough basic knowledge to go for an advanced course like molecular biology.