BALTIMORE, Aug. 25, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The American Urological Association (AUA) and the Urology Care Foundation—the official foundation of the AUA—today announced Simpa Salami, MD, MPH as the recipient of the 2020 Rising Stars in Urology Research Award. Dr. Salami is a urologic oncologist and assistant professor of urology at the University of Michigan where he maintains a translational prostate cancer research laboratory.

The Rising Stars in Urology Research Award program was established in 2005 to encourage recipients to contribute to urology as both surgical specialists and scientists investigating causes, prevention, treatment and cures that will improve patients' lives. The award program provides up to five years of supplemental salary support up to $200,000 to urologists who have successfully competed for career development awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or other major funding organizations.

"For the past 15 years, the Urology Care Foundation Rising Stars in Urology Research Awards have enabled talented surgeon scientists to successfully transition to independent investigators and establish their research careers dedicated to improving patients' lives," said Aria F. Olumi, MD, AUA Research Chair. "Dr. Salami's passion for urologic research makes him an excellent recipient for the Rising Stars in Urology Research Award. We are excited to see the outcomes of his research."

The goal of Dr. Salami's Foundation-supported research is to improve the detection of aggressive prostate cancer by combining multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and novel urinary biomarkers. This work will improve our understanding of the molecular basis of prostate cancer visibility on mpMRI and guide treatment decisions based on mpMRI findings. He is mentored by Ganesh Palapattu, MD, Scott Tomlins, MD, PhD, and Arul Chinnaiyan, MD, PhD. Dr. Salami's Rising Stars in Urology Research Award is sponsored by Astellas Pharma US, Inc.

Dr. Salami earned his medical degree at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, followed by a master of public health degree from Harvard University. He then went on to complete a general surgical internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital through Harvard Medical School, and urology residency at Hofstra Northwell Health School of Medicine.

Learn more about Dr. Salami's award here.

Click here for more information on the 2020 Rising Stars in Urology Research Award.

About the Urology Care Foundation: The Urology Care Foundation is the world's leading nonprofit urological health foundation, and the official foundation of the American Urological Association. Partnering with physicians, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, families and the public, the Foundation supports and improves urologic patient and clinical care by funding research, developing patient education and pursuing global philanthropic support. To learn more about the Urology Care Foundation and its programs visit: www.urologyhealth.org.

About the American Urological Association: Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has nearly 22,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy. www.AUAnet.org

SOURCE American Urological Association and Urology Care Foundation