UAB Division Director of Surgical Oncology Vikas Dudeja, M.D., Surgical Director of the UAB Liver Transplant Program Robert Cannon, M.D., and Associate Principal of the Office of Clinical Practice Transformation Jonathan Black, M.D., have been selected for UAB's Healthcare Leadership Academy Class of 2025.
Dudeja is an expert in the immune and stromal biology of pancreatic and other hepatobiliary malignancies and thrives at securing research funding from relevant surgical societies, such as the National Institute of Health, Department of Defense, VA Merit Program and society foundations, including the Society of Surgical Oncology and National Pancreas Foundation.
Cannon’s research endeavors excel in evolving kidney and liver transplantation science across the country. In addition to leading the liver transplantation program at UAB, Cannon’s clinical interests include: liver transplantation, minimally invasive hepatic surgery, surgical management of portal hypertension, surgical management of polycystic liver disease, and comprehensive management of benign and malignant hepatobiliary tumors. He is a member of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Black is Assistant Professor in the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery. As Associate Principal of the Clinical Transformation Office, Black functions as an internal consultant at UAB and works with multi-disciplinary teams to solve challenging healthcare delivery problems within the health system. He has done projects in the Surgical ICU, PACU critical care, Care Transitions, and Orthopedic Trauma, and is currently working in the Neurosciences ICU.
"The Department of Surgery has a strong track record in recruiting exceptional leaders and aims to provide meaningful professional growth experiences to our faculty, such as the Healthcare Leadership Academy," says Executive Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery Gregory Kennedy, M.D, Ph.D. “We know Drs. Dudeja, Cannon, and Black will enjoy their experience in HLA and look forward to seeing all that they learn from this exceptional institutional opportunity.”
About the UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy
The UAB Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) program is designed to train and develop future leaders in academic health systems. It offers comprehensive training opportunities to enhance leadership skills, strategic thinking, and understanding of academic medical centers. Only 30 candidates are selected yearly for this program.
The program includes classroom sessions, team projects, and experiential learning activities. Participants are chosen based on their potential for leadership positions within the next two to four years, and nominations are sought from various departments and centers within the University.