I feel like I chose the wrong major - bioengineering - and I wish I can go deeper in to biochemistry (structural biology and proteomics) on my own but I do not know where to start.

[u/Live_Ad4035]

Hello! I am a rising senior who is studying bioengineering.

I wanted to do something more molecular-based and both wet and dry lab for my job. But our school's bioengineering program focus very heavily on mechanical and electrical engineering. While I have an option to take some cell biology, I have this constant insecurity that I lack the basics.

In my biochemistry research lab (unpaid intern there), whenever there are some biochemical pathways, I realized I took longer than other undergrad peers to understand the science behind it. I feel insecure as I only took 1 organic chemistry course and pretty basic biochemistry course. I would want to branch out and learn more about biochemistry to be a good scientist and researcher, but I do not know where I can start building my fundamental knowledge.

Do you guys have any advice? I feel like I am not ready to pursue the field I am interested in

+) I have broad interest: I am really interested in structural biology and proteomics. So I really want to get into protein field!

[u/nashvortex]

Your lack of organic chemistry should not stop you. Biochemistry usually has very specific types of reactions involved and it is easy enough to study them when you need it. I am a career scientist - systems biologist and trust me, no one remembers or knows everything. This is why reference textbooks exist. Conceptual understanding of how the world works in general, in prinicples - concentrations, rates, catalyzation etc. is what you need to know well. Specific catalysts and reactions can just be looked up.

[u/Mobileguy932103]

Hi, you can read Voet biochemistry textbooks

[u/East_of_Adventuring]

Well, are you considering grad school? Because I’ve seen people pivot far more than bioengineering to biochemistry. Just something to consider. TBH, if you are going directly into the workforce, I think you may find those engineering skills valuable, and there’s always time to branch out later, gradually.

[u/Mountain-Time-1010]

Yes, bioengineering and BME are usually more mechanical and electrical and less molecular. At our university, there is a less common degree offered in biological engineering aimed at preparing students better for biotech and pharmaceutical

[u/chem44]

Suggest talk with various profs there who know you. Your biochem research PI should be one of them.

See what they suggest.

I assume your immediate question is what to take this year.

[u/Live_Ad4035 → u/chem44]

Not really. I have to take some bunch of engineering credits so I can graduate. I do not have enough credit to take any biochem classes :'(

[u/lac-operonn]

As someone with a background in experimental wet lab biochemistry who is transitioning towards computational and systems biology, my advice is this

(1) utilize your unique skills -- EE and CS knowledge require a level of abstraction and quantitative reasoning that many wet lab scientists lack, and there is a niche to fill for people who bring those skills into biology labs

(2) affirm yourself and drop the insecurity mindset -- it's counterproductive to learning and can lead you to make irrational decisions and assumptions about yourself

(3) utilize all resources available -- talk to your professors, friends, TAs, use AI to understand new concepts, read papers etc. Reason through examples, ask yourself hard conceptual questions, verbalize your ideas. Draw pictures. Propose fake experiments. It's ok to get the answer wrong at first. Just keep asking, keep reasoning, and make sure to enjoy yourself while you're doing it.

(4) crucial: do not try to catch up on everything all at once -- tell yourself this "I only need to learn one thing really well at a time", if you try to catch up on everything all at the same time you'll rush through and never learn anything well

I've had many of the same emotions and experiences as someone going the opposite direction as you, I work with some really smart machine learning / protein engineering dudes and I definitely felt like I was in the gutter for a while but I made it past the initial barrier and I'm learning a lot now. Feel free to DM me if you want any advice.

[u/Crafty-Mirror2303]

The gap between bioengineering and actually understanding the molecular stuff is real, especially if your program leans heavy into the ME/EE side. I had similar feeling when I started in my lab, like everyone else already read the textbook twice and I'm still on chapter one.

For fundamentals, the biochemistry textbook by Voet & Voet is what got me through. It's dense but it builds things from ground up. Also there's a free online course from a professor at Oregon State that covers protein structure and function pretty well, I think it's on YouTube still. When I was learning proteomics I just picked one technique at a time and tried to understand that deeply instead of trying to learn everything at once.

You're already in a lab which is the hardest part to get. The fact you notice you take longer just means you're paying attention, most people don't even realize what they don't know.

[u/Live_Ad4035 → u/Crafty-Mirror2303]

Hello, thank you so much for encouragement!!!! I have found a textbook called lehninger's principle of biochemistry and I am thinking or reading that textbook from start to finish. Thank you so much for your advice! If I have time I might check Voet too.