We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mansoor Saleh as Chair, Department of Haematology-Oncology and Founding Director of the AKU Cancer Centre in Nairobi. Dr. Saleh plans to be on-site by July, 2019 and in the interim will be working with colleagues from a distance to gradually transition from his current responsibilities and to establish the new Department and Centre.
As the Founding Chair of the Department of Haematology and Oncology, Dr. Saleh will work to create a strong clinical and academic service with effective cross-service working relationships that will benefit our patients and promote the academic mission of the University. To this end he will work with AKU senior leadership to establish the structure and operation of the Department and ensure the effective interaction with related departments and services. The Centre will work with faculty across departments to support multi-disciplinary research.
As Founding Director, Cancer Centre, Dr Saleh will develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the Cancer Centre including a research programme that supports a range of research activities, including the establishment of an oncology clinical trials unit.
Dr. Saleh completed his undergraduate medical training at the University of Heidelberg in Germany and his doctoral thesis (MD) at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in the Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry in Heidelberg. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan and his clinical and research fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at the University of Birmingham, and became a member of faculty in 1985.
Dr Saleh is currently Professor of Medicine, Division of Haematology/Oncology, and Professor of Pathology, Department of Pathology; Senior Scientist, Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Professor, Academic Support Department, School of Nursing at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Since 1977, he has held a variety of leadership roles at UAB and is currently Associate Director, Clinical Trials Network; Medical Director, UAB Clinical Trials Office; and Director, Phase I Programme, Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Clinical Center for Translational Research. Since 2011, Dr Mansoor has also been a Visiting Professor, Aga Khan University, Karachi and Nairobi. Dr Saleh has been a principal investigator or key contributor to over 20 Peer Reviewed Research Grants has over 115 peer reviewed publications and fourteen book chapters covering a broad range of clinical and translational areas in oncology.
We are very excited to have such talent and experience on board to enable us to build the Clinical Department, advance cross-discipline training in oncology, and build research capacity that is relevant and has impact in East Africa.
Over the coming months, many of you will have the opportunity to engage with Dr Saleh virtually, and for visits until he is able to relocate to Nairobi and join us on a full-time basis. We know you will make him welcome.
Shawn Bolouki, CEO AKUH,N and Bob Armstrong, Founding Dean, Medical College, EA
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