Clinical chemistry (also known as chemical pathology , clinical
biochemistry or medical biochemistry ) is a division in medical
laboratory sciences focusing on qualitative tests of important compounds,
referred to as analytes or markers, in bodily fluids and tissues using
analytical techniques and specialized instruments. This interdisciplinary
field includes knowledge from medicine, biology, chemistry, biomedical
engineering, informatics, and an applied form of biochemistry (not to be
confused with medicinal chemistry, which involves basic research for drug
development).
The discipline originated in the late 19th century with the use of simple
chemical reaction tests for various components of blood and urine.