As part of its continued investment in specialty care, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn has welcomed Jennifer Nishimura, MD, as its new chief of thoracic surgery and as a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. After completing her advanced robotic thoracic surgery fellowship at NYU Langone in 2021, she spent several years as an attending thoracic surgeon at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. She now returns to oversee and advance thoracic surgical services at the Sunset Park campus.

Dr. Nishimura brings extensive expertise in minimally invasive robotic lung and esophageal surgery. Through integration with Perlmutter Cancer Center—Sunset Park, Brooklyn’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, she will seek to expand thoracic oncology services, particularly for lung cancer and complex airway conditions, ensuring patients in the area have access to world-class surgical care close to home.

“I am honored to be a part of the NYU Langone Health team in Brooklyn and eager to grow the thoracic surgery program to serve the greater Sunset Park community,” said Dr. Nishimura. “Residents should feel confident that they can now receive the same innovative care available in Manhattan—right here in their own community.”

She focuses on using minimally invasive robotic surgery to treat both cancerous and noncancerous conditions of the lung and chest, collaborating with a team of specialists to guide patients through their care. She is certified as a thoracic surgeon by the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and is an active member of both the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

“Dr. Nishimura’s appointment underscores our commitment to expanding specialty clinical programs that pair technical innovation with human connection,” said Bret J. Rudy, MD, executive vice president and chief of hospital operations at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. “Her expertise in robotic techniques and her dedication to understanding each patient’s needs will advance our mission to deliver outstanding clinical outcomes.”

Her arrival builds on last year’s expansion of cardiac services at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn and reflects the continued recruitment of top clinical leaders dedicated to strengthening specialty care across the borough. Earlier this year, Noritsugu Naito, MD, PhD, a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, joined the hospital as the inaugural chief of cardiac surgery.

Dr. Nishimura completed her cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center after finishing her general surgery residency at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center and earning her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. She prides herself on following a whole-patient mentality, listening deeply to understand not only what’s medically wrong but also what’s essential to each patient. As she has said, “Empathy and innovation go hand in hand in surgery. You can’t have one without the other.”

Dr. Nishimura’s research and publications span robotic lobectomy outcomes, postoperative quality of life in patients with lung cancer, and CT-assessed muscle mass as a predictor of surgical outcomes, with work appearing in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery and the Journal of Thoracic Disease.

“Dr. Nishimura is an exceptional surgeon who combines advanced robotic techniques with a thoughtful, patient-centered style of care. We’re thrilled to welcome her back to our team,” said Ralph S. Mosca, MD, MBA, the Henry H. Arnhold Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Langone Health and professor in the Departments of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Pediatrics. “Her work will help us continue to deliver the best-possible thoracic surgery care to more people throughout the Brooklyn community.”

Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Nishimura is a dedicated educator and mentor, frequently lecturing medical students and residents on lung and esophageal cancer, robotic simulation, and surgical techniques. At the University of New Mexico, she received multiple iCare and iTeach Awards, recognizing her commitment to clinical excellence and education.

About NYU Langone Health

NYU Langone Health is a fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality that has resulted in some of the lowest mortality rates in the nation. Vizient Inc. has ranked NYU Langone No. 1 out of 118 comprehensive academic medical centers across the nation for four years in a row, and U.S. News & World Report recently ranked four of its clinical specialties No. 1 in the nation. NYU Langone offers a comprehensive range of medical services with one high standard of care across seven inpatient locations, its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and more than 320 outpatient locations in the New York area and Florida. The system also includes two tuition-free medical schools, in Manhattan and on Long Island, and a vast research enterprise.

Media Inquiries

Gabrielle Messina
NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
Phone: 929-909-6213
Gabrielle.Messina@NYULangone.org

Katie Ullman
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery
Phone: 646-483-3984
Kathryn.Ullman@NYULangone.org