The below message was sent earlier today from Chair & DEO Upi Singh, MD.
I am pleased to announce that Umar Farooq, MD, clinical professor of internal medicine, has accepted the role of interim director of the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, effective Monday, February 17. Dr. Farooq has long been a leader both within the division and within UI’s Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center (HCCC). Most recently, he was named medical director for hematology in the HCCC’s outpatient cancer services. He also serves as the HCCC’s director for cellular therapy and as the site principal investigator within the NCI-sponsored network Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology.
Dr. Farooq steps into the role most recently held by Dr. Mo Milhem. We remain grateful to Mo for his invaluable efforts on behalf of the division over the last five years, especially in leading and developing the divisional clinical trials program.
Advances in cancer care have been an important component of what has driven Dr. Farooq since he joined UI Health Care in 2014 after completing fellowships in bone marrow transplant at Stanford and in hematology and oncology at the University of Connecticut. His most notable achievement at Iowa has been in developing protocols around and leading the use of cutting-edge CAR-T cell therapies for Iowans with cancer. This groundbreaking form of immunotherapy has dramatically changed cancer care and Dr. Farooq is one of the global leaders in its use. Just in the last year, his work has resulted in ten articles published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals such as Blood, Bone Marrow Transplantation, and Science. As an active member of the multidisciplinary HCCC, Dr. Farooq understands how to collaborate across traditional boundaries, and he has also built bridges beyond the cancer center. He is currently working with one of our rheumatologists on whether certain autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis or systemic sclerosis, might also respond to immunotherapies.
Dr. Farooq continues to look ahead. “I expect there will be a rapid growth in novel cellular therapies in the coming decade,” he said, “and I want to provide our patients with access to cutting-edge, promising clinical trials.” He also seeks out opportunities to pass on his knowledge and experience to future oncologists. This has resulted in a teacher of the year award from the Hem/Onc fellows and numerous invitations to present at national meetings every year.
I have every confidence, given his outstanding skills as a clinician, educator, researcher, and leader within the division, that Dr. Farooq is the right person for this new role of interim division director. He knows firsthand the challenges the division faces as well as the resources needed to overcome them. I look forward to working alongside him while we conduct a national search for his permanent replacement. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Farooq and thanking him for his ongoing service to the institution.