Department of Biochemistry

Biochemistry is the study of chemical processes in living things. Biochemists try to understand the structures and functions of molecules in cells, the chemical reactions necessary for life and the molecular basis of disease. Iowa's biochemistry program is focused on students as individuals and is designed to develop creative researchers, effective physicians and health professionals, and superb teachers. Students acquire a thorough and diverse background in contemporary biochemistry, utilize excellent research facilities, and are taught by a research-oriented faculty. All Bachelor of Science and honors students and many Bachelor of Arts students engage in one-on-one research with faculty members.

The Biochemistry Department, which was organized in 1948, consists of 23 research-active primary and secondary faculty members who have received national and international recognition. The faculty supervise post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and undergraduates in active research programs that are well supported by grants from the NIH, NSF, ACS, AHA and other agencies. In the 2009 federal fiscal year, the department's $8.8 million in NIH funding earned it a ranking of 20 among US medical school departments of biochemistry (2nd in the Big Ten).