Jim Guare, CST ’77, ’83, said he didn’t pursue a career in science expecting to receive awards or notoriety. But when the Temple Made chemist joined the team that helped transform AIDS from a fatal disease into a chronic condition, he had to adjust his expectations.

In 1986, Guare, who worked for Merck & Co., was one of the first chemists to work on protease inhibitors—the antiviral drugs that are now used widely to treat HIV. He was honored for his revolutionary work in 1997, when he was named National Inventor of the Year. At the award ceremony, a young man asked Guare for his autograph. Crixivan, the drug he helped invent, had saved the life of the man’s loved one. That moment changed Guare’s life. For the first time, he realized the sweeping impact of his work.  

Guare credits many of his accomplishments to the mentorship and education he received at Temple. He’s also committed to making sure other Owls have the same foundation for success, furthering his impact as a part-time professor at Temple, a leader of the Temple College of Science and Technology alumni board, and a mentor for CST students.

Learn more about the impact of Temple alumni.