Program overview
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is the study of chemical processes and molecular mechanisms within living organisms. Simply put, it's about understanding how life works at the molecular level. You'll learn about the structure and function of biological macromolecules like proteins, nucleic acids, and enzymes, as well as core processes such as gene expression and signal transduction. Core courses include Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Bioinformatics, and more. Lab work takes up a significant portion—you'll get hands-on experience with techniques like PCR, gene cloning, and protein purification. This major is ideal for those curious about life sciences, enjoy hands-on experiments, and don't mind memorizing a lot of details. Many Chinese universities have strengths in this field—for example, Tsinghua, Peking University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences system are strong in structural biology and gene editing; Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University have deep expertise in tumor molecular mechanisms. Labs are well-equipped, research topics are at the international frontier, and international students have opportunities to participate in global collaborative projects.