Saleh Salman Omairi is the head of the Al-Hadi Center of Neuromyopathy and Cerebral Palsy at the University of Warith Al-Anbiyaa in Kut, Iraq. Professor Omairi’s first degree was in veterinary medicine at Baghdad University in Iraq. He then completed a master's degree in Histology and Embryology at Al Nahrain University in Iraq and then a PhD in skeletal muscle functions and stem cell recruitment at the University of Reading in the UK. Professor Omairi is involved in teaching and supervision as well as laboratory work in his current role. He has also organised a Neuromyopathy conference to share and update the knowledge.

Professor Omairi developed an interest in myology early in his career when caring for a neighbour with neuromuscular disorders. This increased his interest in understanding the mechanisms of movement. He has since worked to help patients with neuromuscular disorders improve their quality of life.

His current research and clinical interests range from exercise performance and muscle function to developmental biology, myogenesis and stem cells.

In Iraq, Professor Omairi is helping provide advanced diagnostic procedures and management, treatment and rehabilitation programmes for patients suffering from neuromuscular disorders, improving their quality of life.  He is creating a national (Iraqi) and international (from the UK, Japan, Singapore, Egypt and Iran) team to provide better services.

When describing the most challenging neuromuscular cases he has encountered, Professor Omairi says: “DMDs and SMAs, in addition to complex cases that require inviting myologist and neurologist expertise from outside the country.”

Within his geographical region, Professor Omairi describes the local challenges saying: “There is no accurate database from the Ministry of Health in our country, so we have no idea regarding the number of patients. There is also a low level of community awareness regarding muscle diseases and outdated genetic diagnostic techniques.”

Working with these challenges doesn’t diminish Professor Omairi’s love for working with patients with neuromuscular disorders. He says: “I love seeing very interesting cases, helping a wide spectrum of our community and improving their quality of life. It is a good area for scientific research and publication as we work towards innovating new therapies.

“We are talking about a new area that still needs a lot of work to discover the best ways to manage and reduce patients’ symptoms. In the same line of thought, global efforts toward innovating new effective therapies would inspire me for more work with neuromuscular disorders patients.”

Professor Omairi belongs to a nonprofit organisation which is profoundly supportive of his mission to provide better services for national and international patients. 

Describing how being a part of the WMS community encourages him and helps with his work, Professor Omairi says: “It motivates me to track better treatment and support for the patients. Moreover, it is important for continuous communication with researchers and clinicians from around the world.”