Biochemistry: An Interdisciplinary Science - The science of biochemistry has both borrowed from numerous disciplines, such as chemistry and genetics, and has helped to synthesize new disciplines, such as molecular biology, or applications of it, such as biotechnology. As shown in Figure 1.3, biochemistry is tightly woven into molecular biology. Molecular biology has its roots in the notion that the macroscopic phenomena of biology have a molecular basis. Thus, by understanding the molecules of biochemistry, one can ultimately unravel the complexity of organisms. At the turn of the twentieth century, it was believed life was far too complex to be understood at any reasonable level. By the end of the century, however, our knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of cellular life is exploding. We know the complete genetic information of thousands of genes, hundreds of viruses, dozens of organisms, and are rapidly gaining on determining the complete DNA sequence of human beings.