Chemical biology

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chemical-biology

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the core principle?Applies chemical synthesis and design to interrogate and manipulate biological systems
2. What is the methodologies?Includes development of molecular probes, chemical genetics, combinatorial chemistry, and high-throughput screening
3. How do scientists use chemicals to study tiny machines in cells?They create special small molecules that can attach to specific parts of a cell, like proteins or DNA, and then watch what happens. This lets them see how the cell works and find hidden details.
4. What are molecular probes and why are they useful?Molecular probes are tiny chemical tools that light up or stick to particular targets in a cell. They help scientists track where molecules go and how they behave, which is important for learning about health and disease.

Molecular Probes: Chemical tools designed to specifically interact with and report on biological molecules or processes.
Chemical Genetics: Using small molecules to perturb gene function and study biological outcomes.
Synthetic Biology: The design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, or the re-design of existing natural biological systems for useful purposes.