Dr. Jerry Charles Guyden: A Perfect Scientist, College Professor, Athlete, and Mentor, Dies at 73

Dr. Guyden grew up in a small, segregated town in Texas. As a young man, he dreamed of becoming the first Black quarterback in the NFL. He was accepted to North Texas State University, where he earned the starting quarterback position. One of his teammates was Bessley Reese, who later played for the New York Giants and became a well-known sportscaster. Although football was an important chapter in his life, Dr. Guyden ultimately redirected his discipline, leadership, and determination toward science and education.

Dr. Guyden went on to become a distinguished professor of biology at the City College of New York (CCNY), part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, where he served for more than 25 years. During his tenure, he led a minority science program that encouraged underrepresented students to pursue careers in scientific research and medicine. He actively mentored students to obtain their bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees, and to apply to and graduate from medical school.

Through his leadership and mentorship, Dr. Guyden’s program helped inspire and guide more than 75 students to become researchers and medical doctors through the Research Centers for Minorities program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). While teaching at CUNY in New York City, several students from Westchester County benefited directly from his instruction and encouragement. Dr. Guyden believed deeply in access, opportunity, and excellence, and he made it his life’s mission to open doors for students who might otherwise have been overlooked.

Dr. Jerry Guyden’s passing has profoundly saddened his friends and colleagues across the scientific and medical communities. Those mourning his loss include friends at Morehouse School of Medicine, the UCLA medical school program, Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, professors, and a dean at San Diego State University. They join countless former students, educators, and researchers whose lives were shaped by Dr. Guyden’s mentorship and example.

Dr. Guyden’s legacy extends far beyond the classroom and laboratory. It lives on through the many students he inspired to believe in themselves and to pursue excellence in science and medicine. His final book, A Perfect Science: A Former Quarterback’s Gift to Humanity, reflects the extraordinary journey of a man who transformed the perseverance he developed on the football field into a lifelong commitment to education, mentorship, and service.

Dr. Jerry Charles Guyden will be remembered not only for his academic accomplishments but for the lives he changed, the barriers he broke, and the spirit of possibility he instilled in generations to come.

Author’s note: Dr. Jerry Charles Guyden—scientist, college professor, athlete, medical researcher, and professional mentor to many—has been a personal friend of mine since the late 1970s. We first met in Oakland, California, and later spent professional time together at the University of California, Berkeley.

He passed away last week at the age of 73, and I felt his spirit within me, urging me to write this article in his honor.

By Marvin Church