Program overview
Chemical biology is essentially about using chemical methods to study biological problems. In the lab, you'll learn how to design small molecules to regulate protein functions, use fluorescent probes to track signaling changes in cells, and even try to synthesize new enzymes. Core courses include organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical biology lab techniques, and medicinal chemistry. This major is perfect for students who love hands-on experiments and are curious about life phenomena—like wondering why a certain molecule can kill cancer cells or how to design a molecule to trace neural signals. Many Chinese universities have strong programs in chemical biology, such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, and the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry (CAS), which excel in natural product total synthesis and chemical biology probes. Lab resources are typically abundant, giving you access to high-end instruments like mass spectrometers, NMR, and fluorescence microscopes.