Biochemistry studies the "chemical substances occurring in living organisms and the reactions and methods for identifying these substances." The department of biochemistry was established at the University of Minnesota in 1963 as two separate departments, one within the Medical School on the Minneapolis Campus and one within the College of Biological Sciences on the St. Paul campus. Even though the departments were not established until the 1960s, biochemistry education can be traced back to 1888 when Charles Bell was appointed as the first professor of medicinal chemistry and in 1891 when Harry Snyder was appointed as the first professor of agricultural chemistry. In 1997, the two departments were merged and later renamed the department of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics. The department still maintains an office on both the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses.
From the guide to the Department of Biochemistry papers, 1946-1976, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc])
