Black, Keith L.
1957-present · Contribution: 1987-present
Neurosurgery and brain-tumor research; pioneered methods to open the blood-brain barrier so chemotherapy can reach tumors, and developed dendritic-cell immunotherapy (cancer vaccines) for brain tumors
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
A leading brain-tumor surgeon (5,000+ operations) and researcher; chairman of neurosurgery and director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai. His blood-brain-barrier and immunotherapy work advanced treatment of previously inoperable tumors.
Life & background
African-American neurosurgeon born Sept 13, 1957 in Tuskegee, AL. MD, University of Michigan (1981); led UCLA's Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program before joining Cedars-Sinai in 1997. Founded the Brainworks program introducing students to neuroscience.
Sources
- Cedars-Sinai; The HistoryMakers; Academy of Achievement
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