The below announcement was sent to the Department of Internal Medicine earlier today by Chair & DEO Upinder Singh, MD.
It is my great pleasure to announce that Umar Farooq, MD, has accepted the role of Director for the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood & Marrow Transplantation. Dr. Farooq has served as the interim director for the last year and has long been a leader in the division and in the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center (HCCC) since he joined University of Iowa Health Care in 2014. In his twelve years at Iowa, he has distinguished himself as an innovative clinician, researcher, educator, and leader, and I am grateful that he will continue the good work he has already begun in this current role. My thanks to the search committee and to the division members for their valuable input during this search.
Even before he came to Iowa from fellowships at Connecticut and Stanford, Dr. Farooq had already published multiple articles covering a variety of cancers. But not long after he arrived, he zeroed in on groundbreaking treatments in immunotherapy, establishing protocols around the use of CAR-T cell therapies. Dr. Farooq quickly became one of the global leaders in their application and potential. Clinical trials, publications in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals, and invitations to mentor others both here and around the world have shown his vision and acumen in this field.
In addition to his academic and clinical expertise, Dr. Farooq has shown his facility for leadership and a willingness to serve in many roles, such as Director of the HCCC’s Cellular Therapy program, Associate Medical Director for Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant, and Medical Director of Clinical Research. In each of these positions, Dr. Farooq has demonstrated his ability to bring multidisciplinary teams together, whether in developing clinical protocols or building strategic plans for the coming years. Dr. Farooq’s clear and effective communication and his respectful and empathetic engagement have served the division and department well in coordinating with both the HCCC and all of UI Health Care. It is no secret that this division remains central to how we address Iowa’s growing cancer rates through every mission—in the clinics, labs, and classrooms—and Dr. Farooq’s experience and leadership will help us meet that challenge.
“I am excited about the next few years in cancer care in Iowa,” Dr. Farooq said. “The research and clinical activities within the division and our connections with the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center have always had a huge impact. With the addition of Mission + Blood, coordination is more complex and our reach even broader. I look forward to making it easier for our faculty and staff to bring their expertise to more Iowans and to continue doing the good work that has brought us all here.”
I completely agree that cancer care in Iowa has never been more important, and that UI Health Care is in a great position to have a huge impact. I am grateful for Dr. Farooq’s leadership at such a critical moment. Please join me in congratulating and thanking him for taking on this challenge.