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NYU Langone Provider

Dimitris G. Placantonakis, MD, PhD

NYU Langone Provider
  • Specialties: Neurosurgery, Skull Base Surgery
  • Treats: Adults
  • Languages: English, French, Greek
  • Phone: 212-263-2441
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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 NYU Langone 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 laboratory group, 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
  • 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

Positions
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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This provider accepts the following insurance plans.

  • 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
    • Healthscope
    • Nippon Life of America-Aetna
    • Nippon Life-Aetna
    • Starmark
    • WellNet
  • Anthem BCBS Health Plus
     
    • BCBS Healthplus Essential Plan 1
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    • 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
  • Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
     
    • Anthem BCBS CT HMO
    • Anthem BCBS CT PPO
    • Anthem BCBS CT Pathway HMO
    • 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 (NYU Langone Employees)
    • BCBS EPO - Empire EPO (Sunset Park/Family Health Center Employees)
    • BCBS EPO - Empire NYU Care (NYU Langone 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
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    • 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
  • Cigna
     
    • Apwu Health Plan
    • Cigna - Humana
    • Cigna Great West PPO
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    • Cigna Managed Care/POS
    • Cigna Medicare Advantage
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    • Cigna Open Access PPO
    • Cigna Oscar
    • Cigna PPO
    • Cigna Premier Plus
    • Great West HMO
    • Kaiser Permanente
    • MVP-Cigna Network
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  • Connecticare
     
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  • Emblem
     
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    • Emblem Select Care Platinum Small Group
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    • Ambetter Fidelis Care Platinum Exchange
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    • Fidelis Care Child Health Plus
    • Fidelis Care Medicaid Managed Care
    • Fidelis Essential Plan 1
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    • Fidelis Essential Plan 3
    • Fidelis Essential Plan 4
    • Wellcare by Fidelis Care Medicare
  • 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.
  • HIP
     
    • Emblem Essential Plan 1
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    • HIP Access I
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    • HIP Bridge
    • HIP Child Health Plus
    • HIP EPO
    • HIP HMO
    • HIP Medicaid Enhanced Care
    • HIP Medicare Supplement
    • HIP POS
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    • HIP Prime Basic Exchange
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    • HIP Prime Platinum
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    • HIP Prime Silver
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    • HIP VIP Medicare Bold
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    • Vytra HMO
  • 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 Senior Health Partners
    • Healthfirst Silver Leaf Exchange
    • Healthfirst Silver Total, Pro, Plus EPO
  • Hotel Trades Council
     
    • Hotel Trades Council
  • Humana
     
    • Humana Medicare Advantage
  • Local 1199
     
    • Local 1199 - NYU Hospital Member Choice
    • Local 1199 PPO
  • Magnacare
     
    • Bricklayers Ins and Welfare Fund
    • Magnacare PPO
  • Medicaid of New York
     
    • NYS Medicaid
  • Medicare
     
    • Medicare Part A and B
    • Medicare Part B
  • Metroplus
     
    • Metroplus Bronze Plus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Child Health Plus
    • Metroplus Essential Plan 1 and 2
    • Metroplus Essential Plan 3 and 4
    • Metroplus Gold
    • Metroplus Gold Care 2
    • Metroplus Gold Plus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Medicaid Managed Care
    • Metroplus Medicare
    • Metroplus Medplus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Platinum Plus Plan Exchange
    • Metroplus Silver Plus Plan Exchange
  • 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
    • Humana Health Plan
    • Insurance Design Administrators
    • Kaiser Foundation
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    • Meritain Health
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    • 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
  • NYSHIP - The Empire Plan
     
    • NYS Health Insurance Plan - The Empire Plan, Excelsior Plan, NY Student Employee Health Plan
  • Oxford
     
    • Oxford Health Plans Freedom
    • Oxford Health Plans Liberty
  • POMCO Insurance Company
     
    • POMCO Insurance Company
  • Qualcare Inc.
     
    • Qualcare Direct
  • Railroad Medicare
     
    • Palmetto GBA Railroad Medicare
  • Sedgwick WTC
     
    • World Trade Center - Sedgwick
  • Tricare
     
    • TriWest
    • Tricare
    • US Family Health Plan
  • United Healthcare
     
    • AARP Medicare Complete
    • Bind Benefits inc
    • Oxford Health Plans Medicare Advantage
    • UMR
    • Unite 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 (NYU Langone Health Employees)
    • United Healthcare Golden Rule Insurance
    • United Healthcare HMO
    • United Healthcare Indemnity
    • United Healthcare Indemnity (NYU Langone Health Employees)
    • United Healthcare Medicare
    • United Healthcare Navigate
    • United Healthcare POS
    • United Healthcare PPO
    • United Healthcare Plus (NYU Langone 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)
  • VA Community Care Network
     
    • VA CCN Optum
  • WTC Health Program
     
    • NY Fire Department - WTC
    • WTC Health Program
  • Wellcare
     
    • WellCare Medicare
View All Accepted Plans This list of insurances changes regularly, and insurance plans listed may not be accepted at all office locations for this provider. Before your appointment, please confirm with your insurance company that this provider accepts your insurance.

Dimitris G. Placantonakis, MD, PhD does not accept insurance.

Locations and Appointments

NYU Langone Neurosurgery Associates

530 1st Avenue, Skirball Suite 8R, New York, NY 10016

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

212-263-2441

Lab Website

These focus areas and their associated publications are derived from PubMed and the MeSH term library. *
represents one publication
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*Due to PubMed processing times, the most recent publications may not be reflected in the timeline.

  • Multicenter Prospective Study of Surgical Outcomes in Patients with Neuro-endocrine Tumors

    Learn More
  • Single-center study of fiber tractography in brain tumor surgery

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  • AHCRN Registry: Characterizing Patient Populations in the Adult Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (AHCRN)

    Learn More
View All Research Studies (3)

Read All Publications (151)

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