Molecular biology is the field of study concerned with the structural and functional properties of biological systems. Specifically, it attempts to understand the function of molecules within a living system and how they interact. It includes such topics as biophysics, genetics and biochemistry. Researchers in this field have made many significant contributions to modern biology including discovery of the structure of nucleic acids and proteins, the mechanism for heredity, and the processes involved in metabolism. Recently, advances in genetic engineering technology have led to significant discoveries making molecular biology an active area of study for many new scientists.

Molecular biology is a relatively new area of study in the field of biology. While it traces its roots back to the 1850s when Gregor Mendel proposed his laws of inheritance, it actually began in the early 1940s. Around this time, scientists had already figured out that chromosomes...