DSC is the most direct and sensitive approach for characterizing the thermodynamic parameters controlling noncovalent bond formation (and therefore stability) in proteins and other macromolecules. In an experiment requiring only a few micrograms of material, the protein is thermally unfolded, allowing the relationship between enthalpy and entropy of the denaturation process to be established in about one hour. Correlating thermodynamic properties to stability is necessary for the rational design of engineered proteins and protein therapeutics.