The Department of Biochemistry has actively participated in a series of research projects organized by the institute and has focused on the pharmacological mechanism and purification of some antibiotics. Many original results have been achieved. Creatmycin was first isolated and showed specific inhibition of E coli. It was produced by the Dalian pharmaceutical factory. The actions of Pingyangmycin, boanmycin, lidamycin and anti-aging agents have also been studied.

The department was established in 1952. There are now three research groups with approximately 20 members of researchers and graduate students. A series of projects are supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Ministry of Science and Technology of China. The present research directions of the department are the following: (1) drugs for the treatment of age-related diseases and the mechanism of anti-aging; (2) antitumour immunotherapy and related compound, such as for intervention of the PD-L1 immune signaling pathway; and (3) bleomycin-related antibiotics used for other indications.