Gregory Frederick, PhD

Dr. Frederick completed his B.S. in Biology and Microbiology at Kansas University (KU) in Lawrence, Kansas.  (Rock Chalk!).  He then worked in vaccine development and quality assurance for the French multinational healthcare company, Sanofi.  Later, Dr. Frederick conducted Pharmaceutical Chemistry research at KU in conjunction with scientists at Merck & Co. in Lawrence, KS. He completed his Ph.D. at the Kansas University School of Medicine in Kansas City, KS in the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics. 

Dr. Frederick’s Ph.D. research was on the topic of eukaryotic gene regulation. His research developed a novel system for making targeted gene replacements in a eukaryotic system and characterized unique transcriptional regulatory elements which control expression of the gene encoding glutamate dehydrogenase.  Following the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Frederick traveled to Basel, Switzerland to conduct research at Ciba-Geigy AG (now Novartis). His appointment was in the Department of Biotechnology where he cloned human genes for the expression and use in therapeutics.   Following his time in Switzerland, Dr. Frederick accepted a faculty position at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (UTSW) in the Department of Pathology.  At UTSW, he trained residents, Ph.D. and medical students in molecular biology techniques and diagnostic approaches. 

His research at UTSW was in human DNA repair mechanisms. In 1994, Dr. Frederick characterized the human ERCC2/XPD gene which is associated with the diseases, xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), XP associated with Cockayne syndrome (CS), and trichothiodystrophy (TTD). While at UTSW, Dr. Frederick was offered a faculty position at China Medical University in NE China.  Living in the PR China for over a decade, Dr. Frederick also established and led regional offices for a Singaporean pharmaceutical company, Biochem Ventures and a UK non-profit, Global Partners.  In 2005, Dr. Frederick returned to training students in Texas, where he served and earned tenure at two universities, initially the University of Mary Harden-Baylor.  He was subsequently recruited to serve as chair of the Department of Biology and Kinesiology at LeTourneau University.  He has, proudly, trained a number of students at these institutions who later became physicians, some completing their medical education at AUCSOM.  

In June of 2021, Dr. Frederick was elected to serve as the President-elect of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) TX Branch. After being recruited to serve at AUC in the winter of 2021, the organizational leadership encouraged him to continue in this capacity, even while residing in Sint Maarten. (They may be hoping for a future Executive Board meeting to be held in SXM!)  In July of 2023, Dr. Frederick began his service as President of this scientific society and will continue in this role while serving on the AUC faculty until June of 2025.  

Away from teaching, Dr. Frederick enjoys swimming, cycling (and sometimes) running.  He has completed two different 70.3 mile Ironman races in recent years.  He also enjoys snorkeling and scuba to observe the beauty and diversity of creatures living in depths nearby.  Dr. Frederick holds the Master Scuba Diver certification and enjoys diving as often as time allows.  In addition to these activities, Dr. Frederick enjoys flying a Powered Paraglider.  (If you do not know what that is ask him about it.)  You may see him floating through the skies around AUC in the near future.