Two longtime faculty members of the Department of Pathology retire on July 1.
Andra Frost, M.D., Professor, Anatomic Pathology, will retire after more than 20 years as a surgical, cyto-and autopsy pathologist at UAB Hospital.
Gary Simmons, M.D., Associate Professor, Anatomic Pathology, retires July 1 after working at UAB in pathology since 1988.
Andra Frost, M.D., started in the Department of Pathology as an associate professor in 1997, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology in 2006. She became full professor in both departments 2012.
Frost was medical director of the Cytotechnology Training Program in the Auburn University School of Sciences. She also served as scientist in the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Cell Adhesion and Extracellular Matrix Center.
Frost served as chair of numerous committees of pathology professional organizations, with a an emphasis on training and cytopathology interests. She is a member of the American Association of Cancer Research, of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, and of the American Society of Cytopathology.
She also worked as editorial board member for journals of cancer research, oncology and hematology, and biotechnology and histochemistry.
Over her many years with UAB, Frost served as a mentor for numerous undergraduate and graduate students in both the medical and graduate schools.
Before her appointments at UAB, Frost worked for Georgetown University Hospital and as an associate professor in the Department of Pathology at Georgetown University. She was a surgical pathologist and cytopathologist at George Washington University Hospital.
After moving to Birmingham, Frost served as a surgical pathologist/cytopathologist/autopsy pathologist at the Birmingham Veteran’s Administration Hospital.
Over the years, Frost's research focus is on diagnostic pathology within the breast and thyroid as well as breast cancer biology. She provided effort on research grants funded by the NIH, NCI and other private organizations throughout her career.
Frost’s writing has been published in more than118 manuscripts, 7 books, 98 abstracts and additional other publications. She gave invited lectures and served visiting professorships throughout her career, at institutes around the country.
Gary Simmons, M.D., retires July 1 from his position as Associate Professor, UAB Pathology, in which he has served since 2016.
Prior to this professorship, Simmons served as the associate coroner/medical examiner for the Jefferson County Coroner's Office in Birmingham, from 1988 to 2016, and as Assistant Professor, UAB Pathology.
Over his career Simmons published 11 manuscripts, 15 abstracts, and a book chapter. He gave presentations on forensic pathology and autopsy throughout his career at national conferences.
Additionally, Simmons was awarded the Helen Keller Award in 1994 by the Alabama Eye and Tissue Bank.
Simmons is a member of two professional societies, serving as a fellow in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and in the National Association of Medical Examiners.
He has demonstrated autopsy findings and procedures to various law enforcement classes throughout his career, and in 1991 authored the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office Exposure Control Plan. He was a member of the UAB Hospital Organ Donation Task Force from 2006-2011, and presented findings regularly at the UAB Hospital Surgical Morbidity and Mortality Conference.
Throughout his career, Simmons taught autopsy procedures and forensic pathology to UAB students in medicine, anatomic patholoyg, and criminal justice.
We congratulate both Dr. Frost on Dr. Simmons on tremendous careers with the UAB Department of Pathology and thank them for their service.