A Brief Introduction to Biochemistry: Biochemistry for non-chemists
Authors
Ben Tilly
Erasmus University Rotterdam, Department of Biochemistry
Keywords:
Biochemistry, Bioenergetics, Enzyme kinetics, Metabolism
Synopsis
How do cells convert simple nutrients to living biomass? The simple answer is through a series of controlled chemical reactions called metabolism. But what are these chemical reactions, how are they controlled, and how are they arranged into a metabolic network that assembles complex cells while obeying the rules of chemistry and physics? In this brief introduction, we explore enzymes (structure, kinetics, and regulation), bioenergetic principles of reaction coupling and redox reactions, and give a taste of metabolic pathways and regulation. The book is designed for students with a minimal background in chemistry.
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Author Biographies
Gregory Bokinsky, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Bionanoscience
Gregory Bokinsky is an associate professor in the Bionanoscience Department at TU Delft. Greg received his PhD in Chemistry and Chemical Biology in 2007 from Harvard University, where he used single-molecule fluorescence to study RNA folding and DNA-protein interactions. Greg then trained as a postdoc in a synthetic biology / metabolic engineering lab at the University of California at Berkeley. Greg joined the Bionanoscience faculty in 2014 to pursue both applied and basic research projects, from turning bacteria into antibiotic factories to membrane homeostasis.
Paola De Magistris, University of Utrecht, Section of Structural Biochemistry
Paola De Magistris is an assistant professor at Utrecht University focused on Life Sciences and Higher Education Research. Paola received her PhD from the Max Planck Institute in 2017, where she worked on nuclear pore complex formation. Paola continued her work on nuclear pore complexes, first during a postdoc at the RTWH Uniklinik and afterwards at the Technical University of Delft. In 2022 Paola started as a Van Rijn Junior Teacher at the TU Delft alongside her research. Since 2023 she joined Utrecht University as an assistant professor where she continues to combine research and education.
Jairus Beije, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Bionanoscience
Jaïrus Beije is a PhD candidate at the Delft University of Technology. Jaïrus studied first chemical engineering and later life sciences at the TU Delft. He joined the Bokinsky lab at the department of Bionanoscience in 2021 to start his PhD in microbiology. In 2024 Jaïrus started as a Van Rijn Junior Teacher during his PhD, combining research and teaching.
Ben Tilly, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Department of Biochemistry
Ben Tilly is a senior scientist in the Department of Biochemistry at the ErasmusMC in Rotterdam. Ben received his PhD in Biology from the University of Utrecht. For his thesis, he studied signal transduction by peptide growth factors at the Hubrecht Institute. After a post-doc at the Department of Biochemistry at the ErasmusMC, funded by the North American Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, he became a KNAW Research fellow. He joined the Department of Biochemisty as a staff member in 1996. Currently, he is investigating the dynamic interactions of chromatin remodelers with DNA using biochemical and optical techniques.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gregory Bokinsky, Paola De Magistris, Jairus Beije, Ben Tilly
