Chemical biology is the scientific discipline at the interface of chemistry and biology. It covers a wide range of topics from the design and synthesis of new biomolecules to the study of how these molecules interact with cells and biological systems.
The field of chemical biology has its roots in early work on natural products, such as antibiotics. In recent years, however, chemical biologists have been increasingly interested in developing small molecule probes to study biological processes at the molecular level. These probes can be used to modulate or perturb specific cellular pathways, providing insights into their normal function as well as their role in disease.
In addition to small molecule probes, chemical biologists are also interested in developing new methods for studying biomolecules and biophysical interactions. For example, they may use nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or mass spectrometry to study protein structure or develop new methods for DNA sequencing. Chemical biologists often collaborate with other scientists, including biologists, physicists, and computer scientists, to develop new tools and technologies for their research.