Biochemistry is taught to the medical students during the first four terms of their course of study. Therefore the Department of Biochemistry was established in the Faculty of Medicine since the inception at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna from 1978.
Staff
The department has seven academic carders, one academic supporting carder and eight non-academic carders. The names of the present academic and non-academic staff members and their date of appointments are given in Table 1.
Table 1: Present academic and non-academic staff members attached to the Department of Biochemistry.
| Name | Position | Date of First Appointment | ||
| Academic staff | ||||
| 1 | Prof. Ms. Vasanthy Arasaratnam | Senior Professor | 1984 | |
| 2 | Dr. S. Balakumar | Senior Lecturer Grade I | 2003 | |
| 3 | Dr. SivarathyAmarasinghe | Lecturer (Probationary) | 2009 | |
| 4 | Dr. K. Kandeepan | Lecturer (Probationary) | 2009 | |
| Non-Academic staff | ||||
| 1. | Mrs. Kirubahary Sritharan | Chief Technical Officer | 1980 | |
| 2. | Mrs. Ketheeswary Nithiyanantharajha | Senior Staff Technical Officer | 1984 | |
| 3. | Mr. K. Thayaananthan | Staff Technical Officer | 1991 | |
| 4. | Mr. M. Sutharsan | Technical Officer Gr.IISeg A | 2005 | |
| 5. | Mr. N. Nithiyanantharajha | Staff Technical Officer | 1978 | |
| 6. | Mr. T. Santhiramoorthy | Staff Assistant (Clerical) | 1993 | |
| 7. | Mr. V. Jayabalasundaram | Laboratory Assistant (Special Grade) | 1985 | |
| 8. | Mr. P. Mohanakanthan | Laboratory Assistant (Lower Grade) | 2011 | |
| 9. | Mr. P. Kirubanantharajha | Laborer Grade I | 1993 | |
Academic and non-academic staff who previously served the Department are given in Table 2.
Table 2: Academic and non-academic staff served in the Department of Biochemistry.
| Name | Position | From | To | |
| Academic staff | ||||
| 1. | Prof. A. A. Hoover | Professor | 1978 | 1981 |
| 2. | Prof. Ranjan Ramasamy | Professor | 1982 | 1983 |
| 3. | Prof. K. Balasubramaniam | Senior Professor | 1984 | 1997 |
| 4. | Dr. K. Jayaseelan | Senior Lecturer Grade I | 1982 | 1984 |
| 5. | Dr. T. Vignayagamoorthy | Senior Lecturer Grade I | 1985 | 1988 |
| 6. | Dr. Ms. S. Mahendran(Nee Ms. S. Seevaratnam) | Senior Lecturer Grade I | 1985 | 1994 |
| 7. | Dr. A. Senthuran | Senior Lecturer Grade II | 1993 | 2007 |
| 8. | Mr. N. Naveenan | Lecturer (Probationary) | 1979 | 1984 |
| 9. | Dr. C. T. Ravirajan | Lecturer (Probationary) | 1981 | 1991 |
| 10. | Dr. N. Ilanko | Lecturer (Probationary) | 1988 | 1991 |
| 11. | Ms. M. Ramadas | Lecturer (Probationary) | 1989 | 1995 |
| 12. | Dr. P. Navaratnam | Temporary Assistant Lecturer | 1990 | 2003 |
| 13. | Mr. A. Narendran | Temporary Assistant Lecturer | 1983 | 1983 |
| 14. | Mr. T. Murugapoopathy | Temporary Assistant Lecturer | 1981 | 1993 |
| 15. | Ms. K. Chandrsegarar | Temporary Assistant Lecturer | 1994 | 1997 |
| 16. | Dr. Ms. T. Mayooran | Temporary Assistant Lecturer | 2005 | 2006 |
| 17. | Ms. M. Nadarajha | Temporary Demonstrator | 1989 | 1990 |
| 18. | Ms. S. Kanagaratnam | Temporary Demonstrator | 1990 | 1991 |
| 19. | Mr. W.S. Tambirajh | Temporary Demonstrator | 1994 | 1996 |
| 20. | Ms. M. Kanagasingam | Temporary Demonstrator | 2002 | 2003 |
| 21. | Ms. S. Senthilkumaran | Temporary Demonstrator | 1998 | 2000 |
| 22. | Dr. Ms. S. Shanmugalingam | Temporary Demonstrator | 2008 | 2009 |
| 23. | Mr. C. Kulendran | Visiting Lecturer | 1991 | 1998 |
| Non Academic staff | ||||
| 1. | Mr. S. Parameswaran | Technician Supra Grade | 1980 | 1985 |
| 2. | Mr. S. Balachandran | Technician Seg ‘B’ Grade II | 1984 | 1985 |
| 3. | Mr. G.R.P. Kulasingam | Casual Technical Officer | 1991 | 1993 |
| 4. | Ms. M. Sivalingam | Clerk | ||
| 5. | Ms. M. Balasingam | Senior Staff Technical Officer | 1990 | 2007 |
| 6. | Ms. D. M. Shanmuganathan | Clerk Grade III | 1988 | 1990 |
| 7. | Mr. V. Chandravijayakumar | Clerk Grade III | 1991 | 1993 |
| 8. | Mr. S. V. Sandrasegaram | Laboratory Attendant (Lower Grade) | 1982 | 1992 |
| 9. | Mr. S. Palanithurai | Laboratory Attendant (Special Grade) | 1981 | 2011 |
The department has been headed by different senior academics (Table 3).
Table 3: Former Heads of the Department of Biochemistry.
| Names | From | To |
| Professor A. A. Hoover | 1978 | 1981 |
| Prof. R. Ramasamy | 1982 | 02.10.1983 |
| Dr. K. Jeyaseelan | 03.10.1983 | 31.12.1983 |
| Snr. Prof. K. Balasubramaniam | 02.01.198401.10.198616.9.1996 | 31.07.198530.04.199029.09.1997 |
| Dr. T. Vinayagamoorthy | 01.10.1985 | 30.09.1986 |
| Dr. Ms. S. Mahendran | 04.10.1989 | 3.11.1989 |
| Snr. Prof. Ms. V. Arasaratnam | 02.05.199016.10.1997 | 15.09.199631.12.2000 |
| Dr. A. Senthuran | 01.01.2001 | 30.06.2005 |
| Dr. S. Balakumar | 01.07.2005 | to date |