James P. Hayes, Jr., Endowed Professor in Gastrointestinal Oncology and Director of the UAB Division of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery Vikas Dudeja, MBBS, has been selected to participate in the 2022 Society of University Surgeons (SUS) Leaders Program. 

According to SUS, the objective of this prestigious program is to increase underrepresented minorities in medicine (URiM) in leadership roles in surgery and medicine. The program will support six individuals to participate in a two-year program involving professional coaching and three separate leadership courses.

Dudeja is an expert in the immune and stromal biology of pancreatic and other hepatobiliary malignancies. His research has been supported by grant funding from the NIH, Department of Defense, VA Merit Program and society foundations including the Society of Surgical Oncology and National Pancreas Foundation. He has spent the last 14 years evaluating the pathobiology of pancreatic cancer and devising strategies to address its progression and metastases.

Dudeja is looking forward to representing UAB Surgery and sharing his research at this well-respected program. 

“It is an honor to represent UAB at the SUS Leaders Program,” Dudeja said. “SUS is extremely important to me and I am very thankful for the support and encouragement from my colleagues.”