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POSITIONS HELD
CURRENT HOSPITAL AFFILIATION
SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Dr. Keith L. Black serves as Director of Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute and Director of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. An internationally renowned neurosurgeon and scientist, Dr. Black joined Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in July 1997 and was awarded the Ruth and Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neurosciences in November of that year.
Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Black served on the University of California, Los Angeles faculty for 10 years where he was Professor of Neurosurgery. In 1992 he was awarded the Ruth and Raymond Stotter Chair in the Department of Surgery and was Head of the UCLA Comprehensive Brain Tumor Program.
Dr. Black pioneered research on designing ways to open the blood-brain barrier, enabling chemotherapeutic drugs to be delivered directly into the tumor. His work in this field received the Jacob Javits award from the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council of the National Institutes of Health in June of 2000. Dr. Black and patients undergoing the first clinical trials of the drug, RMP-7, were profiled in 1996 on the PBS program, “The New Explorers,” in an episode called “Outsmarting the Brain.” Dr. Black’s other groundbreaking research has focused on developing a vaccine to enhance the body’s immune response to brain tumors, use of gene arrays to develop molecular profiles of tumors, the use of optical technology for brain mapping, and the use of focused microwave energy to non-invasively destroy brain tumors. He was featured on the cover of Time magazine in the Fall 1997 special edition of “Heroes in Medicine.”
In addition to his work at Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Black serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Neuro-Oncology, Neurological Research, Perspectives in Neurological Surgery, Critical Reviews in Neurosurgery and the Journal of Radiosurgery. He is on the National Institutes of Health’s Board of Scientific Counselors for Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Dr. Black was recently appointed to the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council of the National Institutes of Health. He is also a member of numerous professional societies including the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Neurosurgical Society of America and the Academy of Neurological Surgery. He also is a Founding Member of the North American Skull Base Society.
Dr. Black has a unique ability to combine cutting-edge research and an extremely busy surgical practice. Since 1987, he has performed more than 3,000 operations for resection of brain tumors.
Dr. Black has had a keen interest in science since childhood. At age 17, he published his first scientific paper, which earned the Westinghouse Science Award. He completed an accelerated college program at the University of Michigan and earned both his undergraduate and medical degrees in six years. He completed his internship in general surgery and residency in neurological surgery at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor.
Robert A. Crescenzo has a Master’s degree from Columbia University (School of Social Work) and is a Certified Social Worker (CSW) in New York as well as a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers (ACSW) for the past 25 years. He was Director of Social Work at Bellevue Hospital Center between 1985-88, Associate Director of Social Work at Bellevue from 1981-1885, Director of Social Work at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, and Far Rockaway from 1978-1981. Currently, he works at Lancer Insurance Company and manages all of their Training, Education, Safety, and Substance Abuse Management services.
Mr. Crescenzo has been the Chairperson of the New York Acoustic Neuroma Association since 1999. He is also certified as a Substance Abuse Program Administrator and as Substance Abuse Professional. He is a board member of the Substance Abuse Foundation for Education and Research (SAFER) and a board member and past president of the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Certification Commission (SAPACG). He was the founding member and past president of the Substance Abuse Program Administrators Association, (SAPAA).
Dr. Friedman earned his medical degree at State University of New York at Syracuse in 1977. Later he specialized in Pediatrics at the State University of New York at Syracuse in 1979. Finally he went on to subspecialize in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology in Upstate Medical Center, New York, and Duke University Medical Center, 1981-83.
Chairman of the Medical Department – Internist/17th Year in NFL
Elliot Pellman joined the New York Jets medical staff in 1988 and in 1998 was named the chairman of the Medical Department. In his current capacity, Dr. Pellman is responsible for the direction, supervision and operations of the entire Jets’ medical department. He also serves the Jets’ staff as the team internist. Dr. Pellman is the NFL medical liaison and is a past president of the NFL Physician’s Society. He is the chairman of the NFL subcommittee on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, a member of the NFL Injury and Safety Panel and is a member of the NFL/NFLPA Player Safety Committee.
He has been the medical director of the New York Islanders since 1996, was recently named medical advisor for MLB, also serves as the medical director of the New York Dragons Arena Football team. Is the medical director and cofounder of ProHEALTH Care Associates in Lake Success, New York.