5 Times Temple University Changed Up the Pharmaceuticals Game

Photo credit: iStock/kokouu

Temple University’s contributions to Philadelphia have been many and varied (see: here, here and here). But when it comes to researching cures and treatments for illnesses and ailments that affect people all over the world, their momentum is unmatched. To recognize these achievements, we’re calling out five times Temple University changed the pharmaceuticals game. 

Dace Viceps Madore, PhD, ’71, ’74 // Developing the first pediatric vaccine to target Streptococcus pneumoniae, Prevnar, is no small feat. But what if your team’s discovery had a significant impact on the development of a variety of childhood vaccines? Dace Viceps Madore’s contributions to Prevnar (which involved testing the vaccine’s effectiveness) eventually spawned the model for later vaccination research. In 2005, she was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.

Leon O. Moulder, Jr., MBA, ’80 // Developing new Rx is often vaunted as the most clear-cut way to impact pharmaceutical innovation, but sometimes fostering that development is just as valuable. For Lonnie and Sharon Moulder, both alumni of the School of Pharmacy at Temple, that generosity and commitment to progress came by way of a $5 million donation to Temple University to establish the Moulder Drug Discovery Center, a multidisciplinary research hub that encourages collaboration amongst scientists and researchers. The center now has 23 staff members, who pursue research in the areas of addiction and withdrawal, Alzheimer’s diseases, cardiovascular disease, cancer therapeutics and anti-viral agents.

Mohan Kabadi, PhD, ’78, ’81 // With a CV touting positions at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Pfizer, Faulding and Roche, and now Assembly Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical development company, it’s no surprise Kabadi has made life-changing contributions to the health industry. His most recent clinical study explored how oral Gemical technology can target the lower GI tract in the treatment of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), which is the inflammation of the colon. Should the trial be successful, the application could help combat the 200,000 cases that occur each year in the United States. Additionally, while leading Pharmaceutical Development, he’s rolled out more than 25 ethical, generic and specialty Rx.

James Guare, MA, ’77, ’83 // It’s nearly impossible to discuss Temple University’s HIV research without mentioning James Guare. The Temple alumnus and medical chemist played a critical role on the Merck & Co. research team who discovered Crixivan and Isentress, both of which contributed to transforming HIV from a death sentence into a survivable disease. Over the course of his career, he’s coauthored more than 38 scientific publications and holds 12 patents. His work has spawned extensive research in the field of HIV treatment.

Kamel Khalili, PhD // Now, if you’re talking about Temple’s most recent advancement in the treatment of HIV, you have to talk about Dr. Kamel Khalili. Chair of the Department of Neuroscience, Dr. Khalili led a team of researchers who successfully eliminated the HIV virus from cultured human cells for the first time. The research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, will inspire future technology with the ultimate goal of eradicating AIDS.

For more information about Temple University and its contributions worldwide, click here.