The Department

Biochemistry and biotechnology

Biochemistry is a basic science which derives its methods from chemistry while its subject is the biological world. It addresses the structure, interactions and transformations og biochemicals in a wide sense. Biochemistry is fundamental to all understanding of life and life processes as it analyzes and seeks to explain life in terms of chemistry. It is also an applied science which uses knowledge obtained through research for a variety of applications in fields such as chemical synthesis, pharmacy, medicine, food processing, gene technology and many others. All biotechnology is basically applied biochemistry.

Our staff and their research

The academic staff of the Department comprises five biochemistry teaching staff from the chemistry division of the Science faculty and two staff members from the food science division. Other personnel are research associates, postgraduate students and final year students in biochemistry and in food science.

The research activities of the Department cover the following fields: The purification, properties and applications of proteins, enzymes in particular. The molecular basis of cold adaptation in proteins. Gene technology and its application in industry. Metabolic studies in connection with heart disease. Studies on pharmacologically active substances from Icelandic plants.

Facilities and equipment

The equipment and facilities in the Department include the following: General equipment for protein and peptide purification such as centrifuges, chromatography equipment, FPLC and HPLC. Equipment for the analysis and characterization of proteins including spectrophotometers, electrophoresis apparatus (flat bed, horizontal, PHAST), reaction rate instruments, differential scanning calorimeter, fluorescence spectrometer, CD-spectrometer, amino acid analyzer and peptide sequencer. Also equipment for the analysis of smaller molecules such as a mass spectrometer. In addition, departmental staff have access to equipment in the Department of Chemistry including gas chromatographs, a 400 MHz NMR and a MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer.

Degree programmes

A course of study leading to the degree of BS in biochemistry is run within the Division of Chemistry in the Science Faculty, while a degree course in food and nutrition is run within the Division of Food Science and Nutrition. The programme is firmly rooted in chemistry, physics and mathematics but students also take several basic courses within the Division of Biology. Postgraduate studies leading to an MS-degree in biochemistry are based primarily on research projects carried out in the Deapartment of Biochemistry under the supervision of academic staff. Some students studying for the MS-degree in food science also carry out projects within the Department.