At an early age, Dr. Keith Black displayed a keen interest in science, which was fully supported by his family. As a third-grader, he conducted a scientific experiment using a cow’s heart, which was provided by his family. Upon moving to Ohio, Dr. Black spent time at labs in Case Western University, where he continued to pursue his scientific curiosity. In 10th grade, he performed his first organ transplant on a dog and authored a scientific paper on the impact of damaged artificial heart valves on red blood cells.
Dr. Keith Black was born on September 13, 1957, in Tuskegee, Alabama, and was an exceptional student who gained admission to the University of Michigan after graduating high school. He completed his undergraduate studies in just two years before entering medical school, which he completed in 1981. While studying at the university, Dr. Black’s research interest shifted towards the brain and understanding human consciousness.
Dr. Black’s research into the role of religion in consciousness led him to focus on treating brain tumors. He became an expert in this area, ultimately serving as the head of the Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program at the UCLA Medical Center for ten years. In 1997, Dr. Black was appointed as the director of the division of neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and the following year he was named the chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery and a professor at the University of California-Irvine.
As an acclaimed neurosurgeon, Dr. Keith Black made a significant discovery that natural peptides can aid in delivering drugs to the brain to fight tumors. He has published numerous scientific papers on brain tumors and related subjects and has been instrumental in fundraising efforts for cancer research.
Dr. Black gained support from several high-profile Hollywood celebrities due to his compelling work, which involved campaigning against cancer. His sustained efforts over the years have earned him numerous honors and awards, including being featured on the cover of Time Magazine and Newsweek International. In fact, Esquire Magazine named him one of the “21 Most Important People of the 21st Century.”
In 2001, Dr. Keith Black received an Essence Award in recognition of his contributions to the field. Despite the demanding nature of his work, Dr. Black has raised the bar for surgeons by conducting 250 to 300 brain surgeries each year, well above the standard average of 100 surgeries. Despite his busy schedule, he values time with his family and spends weekends with his wife, fellow doctor Carol Bennett, and their children, Keith and Teal.
