Molecular medicine is a broad field, where physical, chemical, biological,
bioinformatics
Bioinformatics () is an interdisciplinary field that develops methods and software tools for understanding biological data, in particular when the data sets are large and complex. As an interdisciplinary field of science, bioinformatics combi ...
and medical techniques are used to describe
molecular structures and mechanisms, identify fundamental molecular and genetic errors of disease, and to develop molecular interventions to correct them.
The molecular medicine perspective emphasizes cellular and molecular phenomena and interventions rather than the previous conceptual and observational focus on patients and their organs.
History
In November 1949, with the seminal paper, "
Sickle Cell Anemia, a Molecular Disease
"Sickle Cell Anemia, a Molecular Disease" is a 1949 scientific paper by Linus Pauling, Harvey A. Itano, Seymour J. Singer and Ibert C. Wells that established sickle-cell anemia as a genetic disease in which affected individuals have a different ...
", in ''Science'' magazine,
Linus Pauling,
Harvey Itano and their collaborators laid the groundwork for establishing the field of molecular medicine. In 1956,
Roger J. Williams wrote ''Biochemical Individuality'', a prescient book about genetics, prevention and treatment of disease on a molecular basis, and nutrition which is now variously referred to as individualized medicine and
orthomolecular medicine. Another paper in ''Science'' by Pauling in 1968,
introduced and defined this view of molecular medicine that focuses on natural and nutritional substances used for treatment and prevention.
Published research and progress was slow until the 1970s' "biological revolution" that introduced many new techniques and commercial applications.
Molecular surgery
Some researchers separate molecular
surgery
Surgery ''cheirourgikē'' (composed of χείρ, "hand", and ἔργον, "work"), via la, chirurgiae, meaning "hand work". is a medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a person to investigate or treat a pa ...
as a compartment of molecular medicine.
Education
Molecular medicine is a new scientific discipline in European
universities
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...
.
Combining contemporary medical studies with the field of
biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
, it offers a bridge between the two subjects. At present only a handful of universities offer the course to
undergraduates. With a degree in this discipline, the graduate is able to pursue a career in medical sciences, scientific research, laboratory work, and postgraduate medical degrees.
Subjects
Core subjects are similar to
biochemistry
Biochemistry or biological chemistry is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology and ...
courses and typically include
gene expression, research methods,
proteins,
cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
research,
immunology
Immunology is a branch of medicineImmunology for Medical Students, Roderick Nairn, Matthew Helbert, Mosby, 2007 and biology that covers the medical study of immune systems in humans, animals, plants and sapient species. In such we can see ther ...
,
biotechnology
Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used ...
and many more. In some universities molecular medicine is combined with another discipline such as
chemistry
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, proper ...
, functioning as an additional study to enrich the undergraduate program.
See also
*
Metabolomics
*
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecular basis of biological activity in and between cells, including biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactions. The study of chemical and phys ...
*
Molecular diagnostics
*
''Molecular Medicine'' (journal)
*
Molecular pathological epidemiology
*
Molecular pathology
Citations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Molecular Medicine
Molecular biology