Molecular Biology

Molecular biology is the study of the chemical structures and processes of biological events involving molecules, the fundamental units of life. The study of nucleic acids (e.g., DNA and RNA) and proteins, which are crucial to life processes, as well as how these macromolecules interact and behave within cells, is the primary focus of molecular biology. Molecular biology originated from the allied sciences of biochemistry, genetics, and biophysics, with which it remains intimately tied today.

Researchers in molecular biology may also apply methodologies and techniques unique to genetics and other closely related sciences. Through techniques such as X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy, molecular biology specifically tries to comprehend the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules. Molecular biologists pinpoint the position of genes on particular chromosomes, connect these genes with specific characteristics of an organism, and employ genetic engineering (recombinant DNA technology) to isolate, sequence, and change individual genes.