Research Field Guide
How to Get a Biochemistry Research Position
To get a Biochemistry research position, find professors who are actively publishing in Biochemistry, read what they actually work on, and email one of them a short, specific note. Most of the work happens in person, so being on campus and reliable in the lab matters.
Below are 12 professors publishing in Biochemistry right now, what each is working on, and how to reach out. Every name and topic is pulled from real, recent publication data, not a generic list.
Biochemistry professors who are actively publishing
| Professor | Institution | Recent research focus |
|---|---|---|
| Charles N. Serhan | Brigham and Women's Hospital | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| Philip C. Calder | University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| Yuan Wei | Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| Shuh Narumiya | Kyoto University | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| Bruce D. Hammock | Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| Rui Wang | Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications | Sulfur Compounds in Biology |
| Dean P. Jones | Emory University | Sulfur Compounds in Biology |
| Garret A. FitzGerald | California University of Pennsylvania | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| Peter Arner | Karolinska University Hospital | Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis |
| Csaba Szabó | University of Fribourg | Sulfur Compounds in Biology |
| Bruce Α. Freeman | University of Pittsburgh | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
| John R. Falck | The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center | Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology |
Sourced from OpenAlex publication records. Click a name to see their full profile and recent papers.
What Biochemistry research involves
Biochemistry studies the molecules of life, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and metabolites, and the reactions that keep cells running. Labs split across a few camps: structural biology groups that solve how proteins fold and bind using crystallography or cryo-EM; enzymology and metabolism groups that measure how reactions are catalyzed and regulated; and chemical biology groups that build molecules to probe or control biological systems. Most of the work is hands-on at the bench, purifying proteins, running assays, and setting up reactions, so being on campus and reliable in the lab matters. There is also a growing computational side, structure prediction, molecular modeling, and analyzing large datasets, that can be done partly remotely. Read a professor's recent papers first to tell whether they are a wet-lab, computational, or mixed group.
How to email a Biochemistry professor
Biochemistry is mostly a wet-lab field, so for most groups the right offer is to be on-site, learn their techniques, and be careful and reliable with protocols. If the lab does structural or computational work, you can also offer to help with modeling or data analysis and name a skill: Python, PyMOL, or experience with structure tools. Figure out which kind of lab it is from their recent papers, then point to one specific paper, name the protein, pathway, or reaction it studied, and ask one concrete question about the method or result. Mention any lab or chemistry coursework you have. Keep it under 150 words and skip the flattery; show you understood the question they asked.
Biochemistry overlaps with nearby fields. If you are casting a wider net, look at research positions in Molecular Biology, Organic Chemistry, Genetics, and Microbiology.