Biochemistry investigates the chemical and molecular foundations of life processes. A student may study the transfer of genetic information into biological structures, the conversion of nutrients into cell constituents and their utilization as sources of energy, the storage of memory, and the chemical nature of neural processes. Laboratory techniques include electrophoresis, chromatography, Western blotting, protein sequence analysis, and peptide mapping. Understanding the development and application of enzymatic assays is fundamental to this field of study. This rigorous curriculum is excellent preparation for a number of careers in both academic and industrial research, including cancer and AIDS research, medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry, structural biology, genetics, and medicinal chemistry and drug development.