Central to all natural sciences, biochemistry lies at the intersection of chemistry, biology, genetics, and medicine from which new disciplines have emerged—bioengineering, immunochemistry, and neurochemistry among others.

In recent years the significance of the field has been recognized by the Nobel prizes awarded in chemistry and medicine for major innovations in biochemistry.

We now take for granted the double helix structure of DNA but the work completed in 1953 by James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin is an elegant discovery of information flow from DNA to proteins. While this breakthrough materialized even before Hawaii gained statehood, its impact over the years has been astounding, particularly in molecular biology and genetics.

As potential biochemistry majors, Chaminade will offer you a unique academic setting where biology and chemistry faculty interact regularly initiating novel ideas in active learning, collaborative research with student participation, as well as being always attentive for any feedback from you.

Your faculty will encourage and help you find summer research internship programs both in Hawaii and on the mainland.

A degree in biochemistry is a key to numerous doors: not only will it prepare you for graduate work or a career in the medical field, but it may also offer opportunities in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. It provides a solid foundation for a broad range of other sectors, including government, agriculture, science policy, and law.

Although the biochemistry major was established less than a decade ago, the great majority of our alumni have gone on to further studies such as Ph.D. programs in prestigious universities, medical, dental and pharmacy schools. Others have made careers in diagnostic and forensic labs.

Biochemistry (B.S.)