>>14326180A scientist to what capacity? There is the part of science that is "conducting" it (i.e. doing experiments, proving theorems relevant to the math in their models, building simulations, etc.. and then there is the part of the experiment which is collaborating with the community: publishing papers, making professional connections, keeping up with others' work, doing collaborative work, having enough money to keep a lab, etc..
People often argue about your ability to do the former without school. I think that for 99% of people, you can't properly do ANY form of scientific investigation rigorously or properly without any form of uni degree, ESPECIALLY biochem where you need expensive equipment and people who know what they're talking about to assist you in learning / doing work. As for communicating, there is literally no chance of doing science with peers without the education because of the aspersions and doubt of ability associated with your ability to properly conduct science in the first place. Not to mention, you'll probably have a lot of outright bad understanding of standard science without grades and a body of peers / students to work with.
TL;DR no and no.
