Infectious Diseases team

Dr. Simor graduated with a medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1976, and completed Royal College fellowship training in internal medicine, infectious diseases and medical microbiology. He has worked at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre since 1993. Dr. Simor is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in the field of hospital epidemiology. He has received research funding from peer-reviewed and industry-based granting agencies. He has published a large number of papers in scientific journals, and he is on the editorial board of the journal, Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology. His primary research interests include antimicrobial resistance, hospital-acquired infections, infections in long-term care facilities, and the application of molecular technologies to the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases.

Dr. Simor has received several teaching award from the university, and in 2005 was selected to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the university's department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology. In 2001, he received the CHICA-Canada Award of Merit for service in the advancement of infection prevention and control.

Dr. Simor recently served as co-chair of the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program. He is on a number of regional, provincial, and national advisory boards for infection prevention and control, and he provides advice to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care's Expert Panel on Patient Safety. He also served as a member of the SARS Scientific Advisory Committee.

Dr. Simor also works as a medical volunteer at a rural hospital in Zimbabwe every one to two years, and has assisted in establishing HIV and tuberculosis treatment programs in that country.

Administrative Assistant: Neera Kumar
Phone: 416-480-4549
Email: neera.kumar@sunnybrook.ca

Education:

• MD, 1976, University of Toronto, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Senior scientist, Evaluative Clinical Sciences, Tory Trauma Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Head, department of microbiology and infectious diseases consultant, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Professor, departments of medicine and laboratory medicine and pathobiology, U of T

Research Foci:

• Hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance
• Medical microbiology and infectious diseases

Research Summary:

Dr. Simor’s research interests include epidemiology and management and prevention of antimicrobial resistance. He also investigates nosocomial infections and the application of molecular technology to the diagnosis and management of infectious diseases.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

Related News and Stories:

• First national study of hospital superbugs (May 14, 2013)
• Superbug seen in non-prevalent areas (Dec. 6, 2012)
• Novel coronavirus: what you need to know (Sept. 25, 2012)
• Wonder drugs no more (SRI Magazine, 2010)
• MRSA ‘superbug’ on rise in Canadian hospitals: 13-year national surveillance shows significant rise, emergence of infections associated with community strains (March 20, 2010)
• Cited! Andrew Simor talks about his 2003 article on SARS (SRI Magazine, 2009)
• Superbug management: antibiotic-resistant organisms on the rise as fewer anti-infective drugs are being developed (Feb. 17, 2009)
• Bacteria photos make striking point about hospital handwashing (The Toronto Star, Jan. 15, 2009)
• Shoot the messenger: an infectious disease specialist seeks to curtail a deadly outbreak by going after its misunderstood source (SRI Magazine, 2008)
• Towards reduced infection risk for 'superbug' MRSA (Jan. 15, 2007)

Related Links:

• U of T profile, department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology