Biological Sciences

Biochemistry is the science of life at the molecular level, concerned with the chemical processes and molecules that underlie all biological activity. It asks how the complex mixture of molecules and chemicals that make up living organisms function, interact, and give rise to the remarkable complexity of life. From the structure of proteins and the mechanisms of enzyme catalysis to the regulation of gene expression and the molecular basis of disease, biochemistry operates at the frontier where chemistry and biology meet, and its insights are central to medicine, biotechnology, and our fundamental understanding of how living systems work.

At Leicester, this three-year degree within the biological sciences framework develops your understanding of the key molecules and processes that govern living systems, including proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, carbohydrates, and the metabolic and signalling pathways that connect them. You will develop both theoretical knowledge and laboratory skills, learning the techniques of molecular biology, spectroscopy, chromatography, and cell culture that are central to contemporary biochemical research and biotechnology. The degree includes a sandwich year in industry, a year abroad, and work placement opportunities, giving you the chance to experience biochemistry in professional research, pharmaceutical, or biotechnology settings and to develop the international perspective that is increasingly expected in a globally connected scientific field.

Biochemistry graduates are well placed for careers in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare industries, in roles ranging from laboratory research and development through to quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and medical science liaison. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study, either through doctoral programmes in biochemistry, molecular biology, or structural biology, or through professional training routes in medicine, dentistry, or veterinary science. The analytical and quantitative skills developed in the degree also provide routes into bioinformatics, science policy, science communication, and any field where rigorous thinking about complex data is central to the work.