Prof. Mansoor Saleh

Dr. Mansoor Saleh is the Founding Chair in the Department of Hematology and Oncology and the Founding Director of the Cancer Centre at the Aga Khan University Nairobi. At the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. Saleh is the Director of Phase I Program both at the Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) and the Clinical Center for Translational Science (CCTS). He is also the Medical Director at the UAB Clinical Trials Office. His hematology/oncology training included investigation in the immune-mediated platelet destruction (ITP), as well as, the generation of human monoclonal auto-antibodies from splenic B-cells derived from ITP patients.

Dr. Saleh was one of the lead USA investigators on the pivotal trial leading to the FDA approval of the recombinant TPO receptor agonist eltrombopag for the treatment of ITP. His translational research training included studying monoclonal antibodies against cancer-associated target antigens, and he has been the PI or co-PI of a number of breakthroughs, first-in-human, clinical trials of mouse, chimeric and humanized anti-tumor monoclonal antibodies conducted at UAB. His initial study demonstrated the synergistic role of anti-EGFR MoAb and radiation therapy, and these observations led to the pivotal RTOG trial and FDA approval of Erbitux/RT for the treatment of locally advanced Head/Neck cancer.

He developed and subsequently patented the first mirror-image anti-Id vaccine that mimics the tumor-associated GD2 ganglioside. Over the past 25 years, he has been involved in the development, conduct and oversight of clinical trials involving monoclonal antibodies, cytotoxic chemotherapies vaccines, inhibitory small molecules and novel check-point inhibitors and immuno-oncology therapeutics. During this time, he also served as Chairman of UAB Cancer Center’s Protocol Review Committee, a member of the Gene Therapy Panel, and senior scientist and translational clinician at the Cancer Center.