In the world of protein chemistry, small structural changes can deliver huge benefits in medicinal performance.

No one understands that better -- no, really -- than Indiana University Bloomington biochemist Richard DiMarchi, who's made a career out of exploiting the limitless intricacies of proteins.

DiMarchi joined the IU faculty in fall 2003 after having served as group vice president of global biotechnology research at Lilly Research Laboratories, where he was employed for more than 20 years and associated with the discovery and development of a number of recombinant DNA derived medicines.

One protein worthy of emphasis is Humalog. DiMarchi designed this protein (also known as Insulin Lispro), which helps those with insulin deficiencies better regulate their blood sugar levels around meal times. The drug is so effective it is used daily by more than a million diabetics and registers more than $1 billion in yearly sales for Eli Lilly, Inc. Humalog, a synthetic protein, shares key properties with naturally occurring insulin, but unlike insulin, begins to influence the body's blood sugar levels almost immediately. Natural insulin can take as long as 30 minutes to work after it's injected and clears much more slowly. Humalog is remarkably similar to natural insulin in its biological properties, but in many ways, it's better. Humalog's unique physical properties make it a more effective, safer, and convenient drug than the natural hormone.

DiMarchi's distinguished service at Lilly is followed by new opportunities. As an IU professor, he teaches, pursues answers to questions of academic interest, and explores new commercial ventures in state-of-the-art protein technologies and molecules his laboratory develops.

DiMarchi sees much promise in human-optimized protein drugs. "Many of these proteins are nature's medicines, and nature optimized them for physiologic purposes," DiMarchi says. "As biochemists, we are optimizing them for medicinal purposes and we have a much larger set of chemical building blocks with which to work."

He is a co-founder of La Jolla, Calif.-based Ambrx Pharmaceuticals and currently serves as its external chairman of the board. He is a member of a number of biotechnology scientific advisory boards and is a member of the board of directors for Isis Pharmaceuticals. His research is currently focused on the structural basis of membrane transport and the discovery of novel peptides for the treatment of diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis.

DiMarchi holds the Jack and Linda Gill Distinguished Chair in Biomolecular Science at IU. He recently received the 2005 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists award for fundamental contributions to the advancement of biotechnology, and the 2006 American Chemical Society Esselen Award for Research in the Public Interest.