Overview
What is Biochemistry?
Biochemistry is the study of the structure and function of the building blocks of life. Biochemists seek to provide mechanistic explanations for biological processes and ask questions about how things work, why they work and what happens when they don’t. Biochemists have developed many of the key technologies used widely in biomedical sciences. Pharmaceutical companies invest heavily in biochemistry to develop new drugs for many pathological conditions.
Do you enjoy…
- Finding how out living things work and why sometimes things go wrong?
- Discovering new ways to treat and prevent illnesses?
- Telling people about your ideas?
Biochemistry: The course for you?
If you are interested in chemistry or biology then biochemistry is a good choice for you. Biochemistry has a very strong medical slant at Trinity and is an ideal choice if you are interested in biomedical sciences. Biochemistry is also a broad and practical discipline and provides training suitable for many career paths. So if your interests are broadly in the molecular side of the life sciences and medicine but are undecided about your exact career path then biochemistry is good choice for you.
Biochemistry at Trinity
When you study biochemistry at Trinity you will have the opportunity to learn from leading researchers in cancer biology, obesity, diabetes, neurobiology, neurodegeneration, autoimmunity, immunometabolism, parasitology, protein structure and drug development. Teaching and training takes place in a new state-of-the-art facility, the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, which allows interdisciplinary training in biomedical sciences. Special features of biochemistry teaching at Trinity is the use of small group (2-3 students) tutorials with an assigned member of staff in third and fourth year, a nine week individual Capstone research project in the laboratory of one of the fifteen principal investigators in biochemistry in your final year and hands on training within the most advanced core facilities for microscopy, cytometry, NMR and X-ray crystallography in the country.
Graduate skills and career opportunities
This degree will equip you to work in all major aspects of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology. Currently biochemistry graduates work in hospitals, commercial laboratories dealing with analysis, biotechnology, food science, pharmaceuticals or diagnostics. Biochemistry graduates also benefit from their training in critical thinking, analytical reasoning and presentation and communication skills. Consequently, our recent graduates are in high demand in careers not related directly to biochemistry such as communication, information systems, teaching, management, patent law and journalism. Examples of companies where biochemistry graduates from Trinity are employed include Abbot, Andor Technology, Kerry Group, MSD, Novartis, and Pfizer. In addition, recent graduates also work in organisations such as the HSE, HPRA, Forensic Science Ireland, Teagasc and also in science journalism in RTÉ, BBC, Nature group. Biochemistry graduates are also employed in scientific administration in organisations such as the HRB, the Wellcome Trust and the European Commission. Many graduates are also employed in teaching at second and third level.
Your degree and what you’ll study
First and second years
During the first two years, students intending to take Biochemistry as their final degree will take a range of modules in biology, chemistry, mathematics as well as approved modules in other relevant areas.
Third year
You will study topics including protein structure and function, membrane and cell biology, nucleic acids and research skills. You carry out individual and group project work in 3rd year and there is an emphasis on developing your science communication skills. You also have an opportunity to study complementary modules in other areas of Biology and you can take Trinity Elective modules in non-science subjects.
Fourth year
In fourth year you study advanced modules in biochemistry that draw directly from the research ongoing in the school including in the areas of neurobiology, parasitology, cancer biology and metabolic diseases. You will also undertake an individual Capstone research project, where you work alongside a Trinity professor in his/her research laboratory. Some recent research projects have looked at the role of inflammation in the progression of breast cancer and the mechanisms that underly chronic neurodegeneration following traumatic brain injury.
Click here for further information on modules/subjects.
Study abroad
The School of Biochemistry and Immunology participates in the Erasmus scheme which offers the opportunity for students to spend their third year studying in a partner university. Further information on the year abroad programme and a list of partner universities, can be found at: www.tcd.ie/biochemistry/undergraduate/exchange-programme.
