ANN ARBOR, MI, November 09, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Simpa S. Salami, MD, MPH, has been recognized for achievement in education, healthcare and medicine.

Dr. Salami has distinguished himself as a leader in urologic oncology, education and research at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, where he has served as associate director of research workforce and leadership development since 2024. In this role, he oversees research talent and leadership initiatives and works closely with mentees and institutional leaders. Dr. Salami's expertise in surgical care for prostate and kidney cancer patients is widely recognized, and he is lauded for his commitment to advancing the field through both clinical practice and laboratory research. His weekly responsibilities include performing complex urologic surgeries, directing a research laboratory focused on novel biomarkers for genitourinary cancers, conducting outpatient clinics, participating in departmental meetings and mentoring trainees.

In 2026, Dr. Salami was appointed David A. Bloom Professor of Urology at the University of Michigan Medical School, reflecting his stature as an accomplished surgeon-scientist and educator. He has also served as an associate professor of urology at the University of Michigan Medical School since 2023, following six years as an assistant professor from 2017 to 2023. Earlier, he served as a clinical lecturer from 2015 to 2017 while completing his urologic oncology fellowship at the University of Michigan Health System.

Before joining the University of Michigan faculty, Dr. Salami completed his urology residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Northwell Health, from 2011 to 2015, serving as chief resident in his final year. During the same period, he was a clinical fellow at Hofstra University (2011 to 2015). His postgraduate training included a clinical fellowship in surgery at Harvard Medical School and a general surgery internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston (2010 to 2011). He also gained experience as a research fellow at Harvard Medical School and a postdoctoral fellow at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center from 2009 to 2010.

Dr. Salami's medical career began in Nigeria after earning his medical degree from the University of Ibadan in 2006. He completed a house officer appointment at National Hospital Abuja from 2006 to 2007 before serving as medical officer and associate director of surgical ambulatory service at Military Hospital Benin from 2007 to 2008.

His professional influence extends beyond clinical practice into national leadership roles. Dr. Salami serves as an expert panel member for the Prostate Cancer Early Detection Panel with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and as a guideline panel member for the Prostate Cancer Early Detection Guidelines Committee with the American Urological Association. He is also an applied leader and investigator with the Early Detection Research Network at the National Cancer Institute.

Throughout his academic journey, Dr. Salami has demonstrated an enduring commitment to excellence and innovation. While completing his Doctor of Medicine in medicine and surgery from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria in 2006, he completed public health coursework at the University of Eastern Finland in 2005, which broadened his global perspective on healthcare delivery. In recognition of his academic promise, he received a presidential scholarship to attend Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he earned a Master of Public Health in 2009. He subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School in 2010 before undertaking a surgical internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston in 2011.

Furthering his specialization, Dr. Salami completed a residency in urology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Northwell Health, graduating in 2015, followed by a fellowship in urologic oncology at the University of Michigan in 2017. These experiences have been instrumental to his development as an expert in urologic oncology and surgical care for patients with prostate and kidney cancer.

Dr. Salami attributes his success to the collaborative spirit fostered by colleagues, students, residents, nurses, physicians and family members who have supported him throughout his career. He emphasizes that mentorship—both given and received—has been fundamental to his achievements.

His dedication to advancing global health is evident through extensive civic engagement. As co-founder of the Urological Oncology Fellowship Training Program at King Faisal Hospital in Rwanda, Dr. Salami travels once or twice a year to train surgeons and help establish specialized cancer care programs. He also serves as a global healthcare volunteer and/or collaborator in China and Nigeria, contributing to improved surgical training and patient outcomes worldwide.

Recognition for Dr. Salami's contributions includes several prestigious awards, including the Gold Cystoscope Award from the American Urological Association in 2024—an honor presented annually to one urologist within ten years of completing training who has made outstanding contributions to the profession—which he considers his most notable achievement. In 2023, the White House Cancer Moonshot Initiative named him an inaugural Biden White House Cancer Moonshot Scholar. He received the National Cancer Institute's R37 MERIT Award for research excellence.

Outside his professional endeavors, Dr. Salami values time spent with his family and enjoys traveling together; recent trips have included visits to London and Edinburgh, where they explored historical sites such as Edinburgh Castle and visited museums dedicated to surgery. He relaxes by playing soccer with his son, who plays on his school team, playing ping-pong with family members, and developing new skills on the golf course.

With two children excelling academically, one aspiring to become a computer scientist and another hoping to follow their father's path into surgery, Dr. Salami remains deeply committed to mentorship both at home and across professional circles. Looking ahead, he aspires to greater leadership opportunities within academic medicine, including chairing a department or leading a cancer center, with the ultimate goal of serving as dean of a medical school while continuing to nurture future generations through education and training initiatives.

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