What is the main focus of biochemistry as a field of study?

Biochemistry primarily focuses on the chemical processes that occur within living organisms. This field combines principles of biology and chemistry to understand the molecular mechanisms that underpin various biological functions. For instance, biochemists study the structure and function of proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, along with metabolic pathways and the biochemical pathways involved in cellular processes.

By examining how molecules such as enzymes and hormones interact within cells, biochemistry sheds light on processes like energy production, cell signaling, and the synthesis of biomolecules, which are essential for life. This focus distinguishes biochemistry from the study of physical properties of cells, the chemical processes in non-living systems, and genetic analyses, each of which are important in their own right but do not encompass the biochemical processes that drive and sustain life within organisms.