Honoree
Richard D. Di Marchi
AWARDS
- Titled Professor (2003)
- JACK AND LINDA GILL CHAIR IN BIOMOLECULAR SCIENCE AND STANDIFORD H. COX PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Indiana University Bloomington
- Distinguished Professor (2012)
BIOGRAPHY
Richard DiMarchi received his B.S. at Florida Atlantic University in 1974 and his Ph.D. at Indiana University in 1979.
In 2003, he was Group Vice President of Biotechnology at Lilly Research Labs. His awards include: American Chemical Society Innovation Award (Discovery of Lys-Pro insulin - Humalog); Florida Atlantic University Alumnus of the Year; Distinguished Research Recognition at Nobel Forum (Stockholm, Sweden), "Lispro Insulin: A Basis for Improved Glucose Control and Disease Management"; and Founding Council Member of American Peptide Society.
Richard DiMarchi is the Linda & Jack Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences and the Standiford H. Cox Professor of Chemistry at Indiana University. He is a retired Group Vice President at Eli Lilly & Company where for more than two decades he provided leadership for biotechnology, endocrine research and product development. His current scientific activities remain focused on the relationship of protein structure and function, with a particular interest in novel methods of macro-molecular synthesis and drug delivery. He currently serves as a co-founder and Board Chairman of Ambrx, Inc. He previously served as a board member to the biotechnology trade group BIO, as well as such companies as Millennium Biotherapeutics and Inproteo. He currently serves as scientific advisor to Isis Pharamceuticals, Alba Inc., Semafore Pharmaceuticals and Epitome Biosciences. He is a general partner of Twilight Partners, a venture capital company focused on investments in emerging biotechnologies.
Professor DiMarchi is an international authority regarding peptide hormones, and in particular insulin chemistry and pharmacology. He is most readily recognized for discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humalog® (LisPro-human insulin). This designer insulin represents the first demonstration that structurally altered biosynthetic proteins can improve pharmacological performance without increasing the risk of an abnormal immunological response. Humalog® has grown in popularity among insulin-dependent diabetics to a point where more than one million patients use this therapy each day.
As scientist and administrator Dr. DiMarchi was a leading force in the discovery and commercial development of a number of the more prominent rDNA-derived proteins. These include such medicines as Humulin®, Humatrope®, Glucagon®, Xigris®, and Forteo®. The goal of his current research and commercial endeavors is to develop proteins with enhanced therapeutic properties through biochemical optimization with non-natural amino acids. He is has termed this new field chemical-biotechnology.
In 2003, he was Group Vice President of Biotechnology at Lilly Research Labs. His awards include: American Chemical Society Innovation Award (Discovery of Lys-Pro insulin - Humalog); Florida Atlantic University Alumnus of the Year; Distinguished Research Recognition at Nobel Forum (Stockholm, Sweden), "Lispro Insulin: A Basis for Improved Glucose Control and Disease Management"; and Founding Council Member of American Peptide Society.
Richard DiMarchi is the Linda & Jack Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences and the Standiford H. Cox Professor of Chemistry at Indiana University. He is a retired Group Vice President at Eli Lilly & Company where for more than two decades he provided leadership for biotechnology, endocrine research and product development. His current scientific activities remain focused on the relationship of protein structure and function, with a particular interest in novel methods of macro-molecular synthesis and drug delivery. He currently serves as a co-founder and Board Chairman of Ambrx, Inc. He previously served as a board member to the biotechnology trade group BIO, as well as such companies as Millennium Biotherapeutics and Inproteo. He currently serves as scientific advisor to Isis Pharamceuticals, Alba Inc., Semafore Pharmaceuticals and Epitome Biosciences. He is a general partner of Twilight Partners, a venture capital company focused on investments in emerging biotechnologies.
Professor DiMarchi is an international authority regarding peptide hormones, and in particular insulin chemistry and pharmacology. He is most readily recognized for discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humalog® (LisPro-human insulin). This designer insulin represents the first demonstration that structurally altered biosynthetic proteins can improve pharmacological performance without increasing the risk of an abnormal immunological response. Humalog® has grown in popularity among insulin-dependent diabetics to a point where more than one million patients use this therapy each day.
As scientist and administrator Dr. DiMarchi was a leading force in the discovery and commercial development of a number of the more prominent rDNA-derived proteins. These include such medicines as Humulin®, Humatrope®, Glucagon®, Xigris®, and Forteo®. The goal of his current research and commercial endeavors is to develop proteins with enhanced therapeutic properties through biochemical optimization with non-natural amino acids. He is has termed this new field chemical-biotechnology.
