Dr. Jennifer Nishimura

Doctor Overview

Dr. Jennifer Nishimura is a thoracic surgeon who currently serves as the chief of thoracic surgery at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn. She focuses on treating diseases in the chest, especially the lungs. Prior to assuming this role, Dr. Nishimura was an attending thoracic surgeon at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center located in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she was part of a multidisciplinary care team at the Center.

Dr. Nishimura specializes in minimally invasive surgeries. For example, she performs video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). This procedure can help diagnose pleural mesothelioma. Some other minimally invasive techniques use robots to improve precision and control.

With this expertise and through a partnership with Perlmutter Cancer Center—Sunset Park, Brooklyn's only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Nishimura hopes to provide patients in this area with more treatment options and support for thoracic cancers.

Dr. Nishimura received her medical degree from Case Western Reserve University. She completed her residency at University of California, Irvine. In addition to practicing medicine, she is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

Doctor Fast Facts

Main Specialty: Thoracic Surgery

Other Interests & Specialties: Esophageal cancer, esophageal disease, lung biopsy, lung cancer, lung disease, lung metastasis, mediastinal tumor, parathyroid disease, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, robotic assisted surgery, thymectomy and thymoma.

Certifications, Awards & Accolades: Certified in Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery from the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, California State Medical License, New Mexico State Medical License, New York State Medical License

Education & Experience:

• Medical Degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
• Residency in General Surgery at University of California, Irvine
• Fellowship in Thoracic Surgery at The Ohio State University
• Fellowship in Advanced Robotic Thoracic Surgery at NYU Langone

Publications

Effect of operative approach on quality of life following anatomic lung cancer resection. J Thorac Dis. 2020 Nov;12(11):6913-9.

Computed tomography-assessed skeletal muscle mass as a predictor of outcomes in lung cancer surgery. Ann Thorac Surg. 2019 Nov;108(5):1555-64.