About Me
I am a neurosurgeon and scientist specializing in brain tumor surgery. I started my medical career at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where I trained in the MD/PhD program. After obtaining my doctorate in neuroscience and graduating first in my medical school class, I pursued neurosurgery training and a postdoctoral fellowship at other institutions. I returned to ºÙºÙÊÓƵ as a faculty member in 2010.
As a brain tumor surgeon–scientist, I have dedicated my career to surgically treating patients who have brain tumors, researching tumor biology and human brain development, and designing new therapies. I specialize in surgery to remove gliomas, glioblastomas, pituitary adenomas, meningiomas, and brain metastases.
Using advanced, novel surgical techniques, functional mapping of the brain, and intraoperative imaging, I maximize surgical efficacy and improve patient recovery. My expertise extends beyond conventional brain tumor surgery and includes minimally invasive or noninvasive platforms, such as laser ablation, focused ultrasound, and tubular retractors for deep-seated brain tumors.
Through my work designing and running clinical trials, I offer patients new treatment options. I have led several trials for patients who have glioblastoma.
My , which has been funded by the National Institutes of Health for more than a decade now, studies basic mechanisms of oncogenesis in glioblastoma, with the goal of identifying biological vulnerabilities that can be exploited therapeutically. We also use human stem cell platforms to better understand human brain development.
I am honored to have received several awards as a scientist and to have been recognized as a Super Doctors’ “Rising Star†for New York and by Leading Physicians of the World as a surgeon. Although it’s gratifying to receive such recognition, I most cherish the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my patients and their families. A brain cancer diagnosis can be the most difficult and stressful period in a person’s life. I am privileged to be a part of the solution. I am grateful for my patients’ trust and for the privilege of forming powerful emotional bonds with them and their families.
Conditions and Treatments
Conditions
- astrocytoma
- brain cancer
- brain metastasis
- brain tumor
- cancer
- central nervous system lymphoma
- craniopharyngioma
- gliomas
- hydrocephalus
- leptomeningeal carcinomatosis
- meningioma
- pineal tumor
- pituitary adenoma
- pituitary tumors
- primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pnet)
- skull base tumor
Treatments
- brain biopsy
- brain mapping
- craniotomy
- endoscopy
- minimally invasive surgery
- mri-guided focal laser ablation
Learn more about conditions we treat at ºÙºÙÊÓƵ:
Brain Tumors , Glioma & Astrocytoma , Spinal Cord Tumors , Meningioma , Metastatic Brain Tumors , Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma , Pituitary Tumors , Skull Base TumorsCredentials
Positions
- Associate Professor,
- Director, Neurosurgical Laboratory for Stem Cell Research
Board Certifications
- American Board of Neurological Surgery - Neurological Surgery, 2013
Education and Training
- Residency, Cornell University Medical College, Neurosurgery, 2010
- Residency, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Neurosurgery, 2010
- Fellowship, Memorial Sloan-Ketteriing Cancer Center, 2008
- MD from New York University, 2003
- PhD from New York University, 2003
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Insurance Plans Accepted
This provider accepts the following insurance plans.
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Aetna
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Indemnity
- Aetna International
- Aetna Medicare Advantage
- Aetna Open Access EPO
- Aetna Open Access HMO
- Aetna POS
- Aetna POS (American Express Employer)
- Aetna PPO
- Aetna Signature Administrators PPO
- Aetna Student Plan
- Allied
- Chesterfield Resources Inc
- Christian Brothers Services
- CoreSource
- Nippon Life of America-Aetna
- Nippon Life-Aetna
- Starmark
- WellNet
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Anthem BCBS Health Plus
- BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 1
- BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 2
- BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 3
- BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 4
- BCBS Healthplus Gatekeeper exchange
- BCBS Healthplus Mediblue Advantage
- BCBS Healthplus NY Child Health Plus NY
- BCBS Healthplus NY Medicaid Managed Care NY
- BCBS Healthplus Special Needs
- Empire Mediblue Healthplus Dual
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Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Anthem BCBS CT PPO
- Anthem BCBS CT Pathway PPO
- BCBS Blue Access EPO Large Group
- BCBS Blue Access EPO Small Group
- BCBS Blue Access GEPO Small Group
- BCBS Blue Access PPO Large Group
- BCBS EPO
- BCBS EPO (BlackRock Employees)
- BCBS EPO (LICH Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Employees)
- BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
- BCBS Federal Program
- BCBS Florida Blue Care HMO
- BCBS Florida Blue Medicare PPO
- BCBS Florida Blue Options PPO
- BCBS Florida Blue Select
- BCBS Florida MyBlue HMO
- BCBS Florida Simply Blue
- BCBS Florida Traditional PPC
- BCBS HMO
- BCBS Indemnity
- BCBS Local 32BJ Employees
- BCBS Mediblue Medicare HMO
- BCBS Mediblue Medicare PPO
- BCBS Mediblue Select HMO/Extra HMO
- BCBS POS
- BCBS PPO
- BCBS PPO (BlackRock Employees)
- BCBS PPO (LICH Employees)
- BCBS PPO - Empire PPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
- BCBS PPO/EPO Small Group
- New York Hotel Trades
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Cigna
- Apwu Health Plan
- Cigna - Humana
- Cigna Great West PPO
- Cigna HMO
- Cigna Indemnity
- Cigna Managed Care/POS
- Cigna Medicare Advantage
- Cigna NALC
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access PPO
- Cigna Oscar
- Cigna PPO
- Cigna Premier Plus
- Great West HMO
- Kaiser Permanente
- MVP-Cigna Network
- Wellfleet-NYU Student
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Connecticare
- Connecticare Bridge
- Connecticare Commercial
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Emblem
- Emblem Select Care Bronze Small Group
- Emblem Select Care EPO
- Emblem Select Care Gold Small Group
- Emblem Select Care HMO
- Emblem Select Care PPO
- Emblem Select Care Platinum Small Group
- Emblem Select Care Silver Small Group
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Fidelis Care
- Ambetter Fidelis Care Bronze Exchange
- Ambetter Fidelis Care Catastrophic Cvg Exchange
- Ambetter Fidelis Care Gold Exchange
- Ambetter Fidelis Care Native American Exchange
- Ambetter Fidelis Care Platinum Exchange
- Ambetter Fidelis Care Silver Exchange
- Fidelis Care Child Health Plus
- Fidelis Care Medicaid Managed Care
- Fidelis Essential Plan 1
- Fidelis Essential Plan 2
- Fidelis Essential Plan 3
- Fidelis Essential Plan 4
- Wellcare by Fidelis Care Medicare
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First Health
- First Health PPO
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GHI
- American Plan Administrators
- GHI CBP (City of New York Employees)
- GHI Emblem Health EPO
- GHI Emblem Health PPO
- GHI HMO
- GHI HMO Medicare
- GHI Medicare PPO
- GHI Medicare Supplement
- GHI Network Access - Benefit Services of PA
- GHI Network Access - Humana
- GHI Network Access - Total Plan Concepts
- IUOE Local 14-14B
- Wlny-TV Inc.
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HIP
- Emblem Essential Plan 1
- Emblem Essential Plan 2
- Emblem Essential Plan 3
- Emblem Essential Plan 4
- HIP Access I
- HIP Access II
- HIP Bridge
- HIP Child Health Plus
- HIP EPO
- HIP HMO
- HIP Medicaid Enhanced Care
- HIP Medicare Supplement
- HIP POS
- HIP PPO
- HIP Prime Basic Exchange
- HIP Prime Bronze
- HIP Prime Bronze Exchange
- HIP Prime Catastrophic Exchange
- HIP Prime Gold
- HIP Prime Gold Exchange
- HIP Prime Platinum
- HIP Prime Platinum Exchange
- HIP Prime Silver
- HIP Prime Silver Exchange
- HIP VIP Medicare Bold
- HIP VIP Medicare Prime
- Vytra HMO
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Healthfirst
- Health And Recovery Plan (Harp)
- Healthfirst Bronze Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Bronze Total, Pro, Plus EPO
- Healthfirst Child Health Plus
- Healthfirst Essential Plan 1 & 2
- Healthfirst Essential Plan 3 & 4
- Healthfirst Gold Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Gold Total, Pro, Plus EPO
- Healthfirst Green Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Medicaid
- Healthfirst Medicare
- Healthfirst Medicare/NYU Risk
- Healthfirst Personal Wellness Plan
- Healthfirst Platinum Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Platinum Total, Pro, Plus EPO
- Healthfirst Silver Leaf Exchange
- Healthfirst Silver Total, Pro, Plus EPO
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Hotel Trades Council
- Hotel Trades Council
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Humana
- Humana Medicare Advantage
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Local 1199
- Local 1199 - NYU Hospital Member Choice
- Local 1199 PPO
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Magnacare
- Magnacare PPO
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Medicaid of New York
- NYS Medicaid
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Medicare
- Medicare Part A and B
- Medicare Part B
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MetroPlusHealth
- MetroPlusHealth Bronze Plus Plan Exchange
- MetroPlusHealth Child Health Plus
- MetroPlusHealth Essential Plan 1 and 2
- MetroPlusHealth Essential Plan 3 and 4
- MetroPlusHealth Gold
- MetroPlusHealth Gold Plus Plan Exchange
- MetroPlusHealth Goldcare
- MetroPlusHealth Medicaid Managed Care
- MetroPlusHealth Medicare
- MetroPlusHealth Medplus Plan Exchange
- MetroPlusHealth Platinum Plus Plan Exchange
- MetroPlusHealth Silver Plus Plan Exchange
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Multiplan
- AXA Assistance USA
- Administrative Concepts
- Beech Street PPO
- Diversified Administration Corporation
- Fiserv Health
- GEHA
- Global Excel
- Global Health
- Guardian Life Insurance Co Of America
- Health Net Of California
- Health Republic Of NJ
- Insurance Design Administrators
- Kaiser Foundation
- Kaiser Permanente
- Meritain Health
- Multiplan PPO
- Multiplan-Capital Dist Phys Health
- Mutual Of Omaha
- Nippon Life Ins Co
- PHCS
- Professional Benefit Admin
- Qualcare Inc
- Screen Actors Guild
- Teamsters Allied Benefits
- US Life Insurance Company
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NYSHIP - The Empire Plan
- NYS Health Insurance Plan - The Empire Plan, Excelsior Plan, NY Student Employee Health Plan
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Oxford
- Oxford Health Plans Freedom
- Oxford Health Plans Liberty
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POMCO Insurance Company
- POMCO Insurance Company
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Qualcare Inc.
- Qualcare Direct
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Railroad Medicare
- Palmetto GBA Railroad Medicare
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Sedgwick WTC
- World Trade Center - Sedgwick
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Tricare
- TriWest
- Tricare
- US Family Health Plan
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United Healthcare
- AARP Medicare Complete
- Bind Benefits inc
- Oxford Health Plans Medicare Advantage
- UMR
- United Healthcare (NY University Care Plan)
- United Healthcare AARP
- United Healthcare All Savers
- United Healthcare Choice
- United Healthcare Choice (AMEX employees)
- United Healthcare Choice (Blackrock employees)
- United Healthcare Choice (CBS employees)
- United Healthcare Choice (Simon
- United Healthcare EPO
- United Healthcare EPO (ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Health Employees)
- United Healthcare Golden Rule Insurance
- United Healthcare HMO
- United Healthcare Healthscope
- United Healthcare Indemnity
- United Healthcare Indemnity (ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Health Employees)
- United Healthcare Medicare
- United Healthcare Navigate
- United Healthcare Nexus
- United Healthcare Nexus (Amex Employees)
- United Healthcare POS
- United Healthcare PPO
- United Healthcare Plus (ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Health Employees)
- United Healthcare Student Resources
- United Healthcare Student Resources (NYU)
- United Healthcare Value, Advantage and HDHP (New York University employees)
- UnitedHealthcare Choice (NY Power Authority Employees)
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VA Community Care Network
- VA CCN Optum
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WTC Health Program
- NY Fire Department - WTC
- WTC Health Program
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Wellcare
- WellCare Medicare
Dimitris G. Placantonakis, MD, PhD does not accept insurance.
Locations and Appointments
ºÙºÙÊÓƵ Neurosurgery Associates
530 1st Avenue, Silverstein Suite 8R, New York, NY 10016
Research My Research
Interests
Glioblastoma stem cells, human embryonic stem cells, glioma biology, gliomagenesis, glioma therapeutics, cancer, imaging, molecular, cellular, & translational neuroscience
Research Summary
Dr. Placantonakis obtained his MD/PhD degree in Neuroscience from NYU School of Medicine and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in human embryonic stem cell biology with Drs. Lorenz Studer and Viviane Tabar at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. He was also trained in Neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan-Kettering. At NYU, he is a tenure-track physician-scientist dividing his time between his neurosurgical practice and the laboratory. Dr. Placantonakis has an interest in the treatment of gliomas and brain tumors in general. The Neurosurgical Laboratory for Stem Cell Research, which is headed by Dr. Placantonakis, studies stem cell biology in the context of glioma, a malignant brain tumor. We adapt human embryonic stem cell and genetic technologies to model oncogenic processes, with the goal of understanding the early steps in glioma formation and developing translational applications, such as high-throughput drug screening and biomarker identification. Furthermore, we use genetic approaches and patients' tissue to generate models for high-grade gliomas, with emphasis on the role of stem cells in pathogenesis and new therapeutic approaches that directly target them. Our ultimate goal is to translate our laboratory findings to new therapies and diagnostic tests for patients with glioma.
Dr. Placantonakis' laboratory is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and private foundations.
Academic Contact
Academic office
530 1st Avenue, Suite 8R
New York, NY 10016
Phone
Lab Website
Research Interests Timeline
Clinical Trials and Research Studies
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Single-center study of fiber tractography in brain tumor surgery
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Multicenter Prospective Collaborative Study of Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Neuro-endocrine Tumors
Publications
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Donaldson, Hayley; Golub, Danielle; Placantonakis, Dimitris G
Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons. 2024 Oct 14; 8(16):
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Chiang, Veronica L; Pugazenthi, Sangami; Leidig, William A; Rodriguez, Analiz; Prabhu, Sujit; Haskell-Mendoza, Aden P; Fecci, Peter E; Placantonakis, Dimitris G; Abram, Steven R; Lega, Bradley; Kim, Albert H
Journal of neurosurgery. 2024 Sep 01; 141(3):642-652
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Lee, Matthew D; Jain, Rajan; Galbraith, Kristyn; Chen, Anna; Lieberman, Evan; Patel, Sohil H; Placantonakis, Dimitris G; Zagzag, David; Barbaro, Marissa; Guillermo Prieto Eibl, Maria Del Pilar; Golfinos, John G; Orringer, Daniel A; Snuderl, Matija
Clinical cancer research. 2024 Aug 15; 30(16):3512-3519