When a stroke happens, symptoms often come on suddenly and without warning. The only remedy to its damaging effects is immediate medical attention. That is why, in such dire situations, residents of Brooklyn turn to NYU Lutheran, the only comprehensive stroke center in the borough certified by both the American Stroke Association and The Joint Commission. And with renowned neurologist and critical care specialist Jennifer A. Frontera, MD, on board as its new chief of neurology, the hospital is poised to further advance its spectrum of neurological care.

“A comprehensive stroke center requires a highly specialized team of neurologists, neurointensivists, neurosurgeons, and neurointerventionalists,” says Dr. Frontera, who is board certified in both vascular neurology and neurocritical care. “We’re fortunate to already have a full team in place here at NYU Lutheran, providing 24/7 stroke coverage—and there is even more support on the way.”

Expertly trained to address life-threatening diseases of the brain, spine, and nerves, Dr. Frontera not only wants to build on the comprehensive stroke center, but also provide a similar level of high-quality care for a variety of neurological conditions. “My vision is for NYU Lutheran to be Brooklyn’s premier destination for neurological care,” she adds.

Other recent and planned improvements in neurological and neurosurgical services at NYU Lutheran include building a new state-of-the-art neurointensive care unit; recruiting three neurointensivists, including Dr. Frontera; and upgrading the neurointerventional radiology suite to provide the comprehensive team of neurointerventionalists the most state-of-the-art technology available.

In addition to stroke care, the neurology department at NYU Lutheran is equipped to treat many other complex neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, memory disorders, emergency care, and more. As part of the NYU Langone Health System, NYU Lutheran physicians work in collaboration with the world-renowned Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, among the largest treatment programs of its kind in the United States.

“Dr. Frontera brings a deep knowledge of neurological care to NYU Lutheran Medical Center, while also being an excellent educator and mentor,” says Steven L. Galetta, MD, the Philip K. Moskowitz, MD, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Neurology of NYU Langone. “She will lead an exceptional team to even greater heights as NYU Lutheran’s neurology services continue to expand and grow more comprehensive to meet the needs of the Brooklyn community.”

Prolific Researcher and Neurological Scholar

Dr. Frontera joins NYU Lutheran after serving as associate professor of medicine (neurology) at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine’s Cerebrovascular Center Neurological Institute and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute’s Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Prior to that, she was assistant professor and medical director of the neurosurgical intensive care unit at Mount Sinai Hospital.

An undergraduate alumna of Dartmouth College, Dr. Frontera earned her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. She completed her internship, residency, and postdoctoral fellowship training in stroke and neurocritical care at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

In addition to her expert skill as a clinician, Dr. Frontera also has many research interests including identifying biomarkers and predictors of early brain injury and vasospasm/delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage and their impact on outcome; determining the efficacy of therapeutic strategies and developing guidelines for the management of patients with intracranial hemorrhage; evaluating the cost, length of stay, quality of life, functional and cognitive outcomes in a broader population of intracranial hemorrhage patients; developing guidelines for the integration of palliative care into the intensive care unit setting; and evaluating the relationship of Zika virus infection, Guillain-Barre, and other neurologic disorders.

She has published 58 peer-reviewed publications, 11 review articles, and 15 additional book chapters. She also has edited a popular handbook titled, Decision Making in Neurocritical Care, and is currently working on its second edition. She is also editing a new book, Decision Making in Neurological Complications of Critical Illness, due out in 2017.

Media Inquiries

Colin DeVries
Phone: 718-630-7414
colin.devries@nyumc.org