As a New Jersey native, serving as the Director for the Neuro-Oncology Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey feels like home for Michael Salacz, MD. He grew up in Holmdel, New Jersey and pursued his undergraduate studies at Cornell University, followed by service in the United States Navy through the first Gulf War conflict. During that time, Dr. Salacz recognized his interest in helping others and decided to pursue a career in medicine.

After graduating from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Dr. Salacz completed residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati followed by fellowships in medical oncology, palliative medicine, and hematology at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. With a passion for the care of patients with brain and spinal cord tumors, after two years of general practice in Kansas City, he left to pursue further fellowship training in neuro-oncology at Duke University in North Carolina, before returning to Kansas City. After 15½ years of practice in the Kansas City area, Dr. Salacz returned to New Jersey and joined the Rutgers Cancer Institute in 2021 to lead the Neuro-Oncology Program.

Dr. Salacz is one of the very few physicians in the nation who has earned fellowship training and board certification in neuro-oncology, medical oncology, and internal medicine. He is a member of the Society of Neuro-Oncology and has published a variety of articles in peer-reviewed journals focusing on topics such as treatment options in glioblastoma, brain tumor clinical trials, and palliative medicine. He has also pursued additional training in alternative and holistic medicine approaches to brain cancer as well. Dr. Salacz’s focus is on the care of the whole patient fighting brain or spinal cord cancer, as well as support of the family throughout the treatment journey.