Prof. Salama was born on January 26, 1936 in Gharbia, Egypt; he is married with two children. He is fluent in Arabic, English, French and German.
He earned his degrees at Ain Shams University, Faculty of Science (BSc in 1955, MSc in Entomology in 1959) and Cairo University, Faculty of Science (PhD and DSc Entomology in 1962 and 1987, respectively).
A post-doctoral fellow (1963-1965) at the Department of Entomology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada (1963-1965); Prof. Salama was also a fellow of Alexander Von Humboldt Organisation where he joined the Institute of Applied Zoology, University of Munich (1974-1976).
He started his career as a Research Assistant, Entomology Research Unit, National Research Center (NRC) in Cairo in 1956. He then became Researcher (1962-1967); Associate Research Professor (1967-1973); and Research Professor of Entomology at NRC in 1973, before he was appointed as Vice-President of NRC. He went on to become President for the NRC between 1988-1992 and then Emeritus Research Professor since 1996.
Prof. Salama was awarded the State Prize for Biological Sciences (1973); the Golden Medal of NRC (1981); the Golden Medal of the Entomological Society of Egypt (1982); the State Prize for Sciences Prize for Agricultural Sciences (1983); the African Academy of Sciences Prize for Agriculture (1991); Recognition State Prize for Basic Sciences (1994) and Scientific Recognition Prize of NRC. He was awarded the merit of science and Arts-First Rank, 3 times.
Prof. Salama is/was member of several learned bodies including : the governing board of the National Research Centre, Egypt; Vice-President of the Research Council for Basic Sciences, Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research and Technology; the National Committee for Biological Sciences; President of the Egyptian Institute for Scientific Culture (1991); the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS); the Association for advancement of Agricultural Sciences of Africa (AAASA); the Council for International Congresses of Entomology; the African Association of Insect Scientists (1984); Vice President of the Entomological Society of Egypt; an elected member of the board of the Egyptian Academy of Sciences, Member of TWAS, African Academy of Sciences and Founding Fellow of the Islamic Academy of Sciences (1986).