A Higher Glyphic

Luke Tolley was the first person to develop dynamic isoelectric anisotropy binding ligand assay - a feat that might seem far-fetched for a high school dropout.

The 34-year-old assistant professor of chemistry's innovation could help curb side effects of cancer treatment, and his work establishing a forensic science minor has helped Tolley scale SIUC's rungs in his fours years on campus.

But his road to the university was not typical.

Tolley enrolled in community college for the summer when he was 14 years old so he would have something to do while his brother was away at a university.

He said he went back to high school for a few days and decided it wasn't for him.

Tolley dropped out in his sophomore year and began working on a degree in electrical engineering at the community college.

After securing his two-year degree there, Tolley transferred to Brigham Young University in Utah where he studied electrical engineering for two years.

He earned a nontraditional high school diploma - already with an associate's degree in tow - and changed his major to chemistry, in which he holds a bachelor's from Brigham Young and doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"I don't want to give the wrong idea to people that dropping out is good, but for me it was," Tolley said. "It certainly wouldn't have worked for most other people."

Tolley attributed his change of major to his father's influence. He said he saw people take advice from his dad and it always worked out.

After three years studying chemistry, Tolley said he didn't like the subject except for one class - analytical instrumentation. His last year of school, he was allowed to specialize in the area.

While he doesn't like everything about chemistry, Tolley said he still likes playing with it.

"I like to light stuff on fire, just like all chemists, you know, we play with dry ice," Tolley said. "You think that you would grow out of it but you never do. Dry ice is always fun."

Tolley's passion for analytical chemistry shows in the success of his research at SIUC.

He said he and his students have come up with two tools to analyze proteins and determine how drugs work.

"There's a lot of drugs that they know what they do but they don't know how they do them," Tolley said.

He said Tylenol is a drug that has been used for 50 years, but it's still unclear how it functions.

"It would be useful to know how it works, because then they could design something that would work even better," he said.

Robbie Montgomery, a doctoral student from Carterville studying analytical chemistry, has researched with Tolley for about four years.

Montgomery said Tolley expects the students to get their work done, but doesn't hang over their shoulders. He lets them experiment and then come to him with problems, she said.

Montgomery said Tolley has fun with his students, too.

"We have group birthday parties," she said.

Chances are, Tolley caters his own parties.

Tolley said he has won several awards for hand-dipped chocolates in the Du Quoin State Fair. He won first place all three times he entered and won best of show once. His confectionary skills also extend to wedding cakes.

He even made one for his own wedding.

Tolley said he doesn't make wedding cakes anymore because he doesn't have time to practice. He said he can decorate them quicker now, but isn't as good as he once was.

Instead of decorating cakes, he spends time with his students.

Zeyad Altalla, a doctoral student from Jordan studying analytical chemistry, said he knew Tolley was a good guy the first time he met the professor.

"He is so good with international students," Altalla said.

He said Tolley asks about his family and doesn't overwork him.

Altalla said Tolley has invited him over for dinner and to have Thanksgiving with his family.

Tolley and his wife, Maren, have five children. The three oldest accompany him to tae kwon do lessons.

"I got my black belt a couple of months ago," he said.

He has been married for almost 12 years. His wife is trained as a chemical engineer, but stays at home with the children.

"She does plenty of work in the home taking care of the kids," Tolley said.

While both work and family take a lot of time, he said he also devotes a large portion of his time to his church.

He is the volunteer bishop of his church, part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Biochemistry professor Blaine Bartholomew works with Tolley and is a member of his congregation.

He said Tolley is a hard worker and dedicated father.

"At times, his work in the church takes away from his family, but he's able to accomplish a pretty good balance between all of his commitments," Bartholomew said.

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