History of biochemistry
The history of biochemistry can be said to have started with the ancient Greeks who were interested in the composition and processes of life, although biochemistry as a specific scientific discipline has its beginning around the early 19th century. Some argued that the beginning of biochemistry may have been the discovery of the first enzyme, diastase (today called amylase), in 1833 by Anselme Payen, while others considered Eduard Buchner's first demonstration of a complex biochemical process alcoholic fermentation in cell-free extracts to be the birth of biochemistry. Some might also point to the influential work of Justus von Liebig from 1842, "Animal chemistry, or, Organic chemistry in its applications to physiology and pathology", which presented a chemical theory of metabolism, or even earlier to the 18th century studies on fermentation and respiration by Antoine Lavoisier.
Islamic Azad University, Falavarjan Branch
Department of Biochemistry started its activities on 1987 with 5 courses to provide Biochemistry to Biology students with one faculty member. Later in 2002 it became an independent group in collaboration with a number of professors of biochemistry well known in the field such as full Professor Seyed Ali Asghar Moshtaghi, the founder of the professional doctorate degree for Clinical Biochemistry in Iran and also a faculty member with the rank of associate professor, and two faculty members with Scientific Assistant rank. They provided biochemistry courses at different levels, particularly in higher education in the fields of biochemistry, biology, microbiology, genetics, biotechnology, nursing and midwifery services. One of the achievements of this group is that it is the only biology group that provides all BA, MA and PhD degrees in Iran.