The 20 Best Lung Transplant Doctors in New York, US

Manish Mohanka, MD, MPH, is the associate medical director of the Center for Advanced Lung Disease and Transplantation at the Northwell Transplant Institute.As a child, Dr. Mohanka dreamed of becoming an aerospace engineer and flying off into space. He liked studying math, physics and chemistry just as much as biology. He enjoyed applying principles of physics, chemistry and math such as motion, fluid dynamics and energy to the way the human body works. Realizing that his purpose was to use his diverse interests to help people, he decided to pursue medical school.After earning his medical degree at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur in India, he got a master's degree in public health with an epidemiology major at the University of Washington in Seattle. He completed his internal medicine internship and residency at the Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, followed by a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland. He developed a keen interest in the field of lung transplantation during fellowship training.Dr. Mohanka joined the lung transplant team at the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas in 2012 and helped direct the transplant clinics and collaborate building the rehabilitation facilities for the program.In 2024, he joined the lung transplant team at the Northwell Transplant Institute, the only lung program on Long Island. His vision is to grow the program to provide lung transplant services locally to patients in the vast Northwell network and beyond.There's a growing need for lung transplants here, because patients with advanced lung diseases like COPD, interstitial lung diseases, pulmonary hypertension and cystic fibrosis need it, he says. Also, lung transplants represent an evolving field in terms of research, and this was a chance to do more investigation that could result in better treatment plans and better management of complications. The combination of excellent clinical care and meaningful research really set Northwell apart.Another aspect of transplant care at Northwell is patient support, Dr. Mohanka adds. He likes to devote time to learning about each patient at every level and address their individual needs. When a patient tells me that they appreciate how much time I take to explain everything, and that I talk in a language they can understand, that means everything to me, he says. I care about every single patient, and I want them to feel that way during every conversation. Dr. Mohanka is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Lung Metastases, Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease, Lung Transplant, and Advanced Bronchoscopy.

Luke Benvenuto is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Benvenuto is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Cystic Fibrosis, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Lung Metastases, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Lung Transplant. Dr. Benvenuto is currently accepting new patients.

Dr. Hiroo Takayama is Vice Chair of Cardiac, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He has more than 20 years of experience in treating patients with heart and vascular problems. As the co-Director of the Aortic Center at NYP/Columbia, Dr. Takayama has contributed to the care of over 4,000 patients by performing a variety of aortic and cardiac surgical procedures, approximately 300-350 operations every year.Dr. Takayama is internationally recognized for his work on complex aortic surgery (minimally invasive aortic surgery, valve-sparing aortic root replacement, aortic valve repair, aortic arch and thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair), hybrid aortic surgery (thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair), myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and heart failure surgery.He is a leader in outcome research in aortic diseases and heart failure. He has published more than 300-350 manuscripts in prestigious, peer-reviewed journals and has authored numerous book chapters about heart disease.Dr. Takayama attended University of Tokyo for Medical School, did his internship at University of Tokyo, general surgery residency in University of Washington Medical Center, and cardio-thoracic surgery fellowship in New-York Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. Dr. Takayama is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Cardiogenic Shock, Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, Aortic Dissection, Heart Transplant, and Lung Transplant.

David Lederer is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Lederer is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Lung Transplant.

Frank D'ovidio is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. D'ovidio is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Achalasia, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Lung Transplant, and Gastrostomy.

Selim Arcasoy is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Arcasoy is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, and Lung Transplant.

Zachary Kon is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Kon is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), Saddle Pulmonary Embolism, Cardiogenic Shock, Embolectomy, and Lung Transplant.

Lori Shah is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Shah is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Secondary Immunodeficiency (SID), Cystic Fibrosis, and Lung Transplant.

Recently named as Medical Director of the Northwell Health Lung Transplantation Program, Dr. Aldo T. Iacono is a national thought leader in the field of lung transplantation and advanced lung disease. He He has made major contributions to clinical and scientific developments in lung transplantation. Dr. Iacono previously developed and led the lung transplantation programs at University of Pittsburgh and the University of Maryland. At Northwell Health he will bring together a multidisciplinary team to provide the best clinical care for patients with advanced lung disease. Dr. Iacono will also lead research in lung transplantation and will train future clinician-scientists in this area. In addition to lung transplantation, his clinical area of focus includes Advanced lung Disease Management, Immunosuppressive Drug Management and Interventional Bronchoscopy.Publications include:-A randomized trial of inhaled cyclosporine in lung transplant recipients. N Engl J Med 2006;-Donor Derived cell-free DNA as a composite marker of acute lung allograft dysfunction in Clinical Care; J Heart Transplant 2022-Capitalizing on the concept of local immune suppression by inhalation for lung transplant recipients Am J Transplant 2022;-Donor derived cell free DNA% is elevated with pathogens that are risk factors for acute and chronic allograft injury, J Heart Transplant 2021. Dr. Iacono is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Bronchiolitis Obliterans, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, and Lung Transplant.

Luis Angel is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Angel is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Fibrosis, Lung Metastases, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Lung Transplant, and Gastrostomy.

Darya Rudym is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Rudym is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Lung Transplant.

B. Payne Stanifer, MD, MPH has been with the Department of Surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center since 2017. He completed his fellowship as the chief fellow in thoracic surgery at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL where he trained under Dr. Malcolm DeCamp and Dr. Patrick McCarthy in thoracic and cardiac surgery. His clinical interests encompass all areas of thoracic surgery including lung and esophageal cancer, thymic tumors, tracheal resection and reconstruction, and surgery for tracheomalacia (tracheoplasty), chest wall, diaphragm, benign esophageal disease, surgery for emphysema, and lung transplant. He has skills in both minimally invasive and complex open surgery of the chest and the abdomen. Dr. Stanifer has a special interest in complex VATS pulmonary surgery including lobectomy and segmentectomy. He prefers minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy and VATS for the esophagus whenever possible but performs all forms of esophagectomies based on the patient’s needs. Dr. Stanifer has authored numerous presentations, abstracts, and publications on topics in thoracic surgery such as lung cancer, tracheal surgery, spontaneous pneumothorax, and interstitial lung disease. His research at Columbia has focused on oncology with particular interests in clinical trials, outcomes, and the epidemiology and mechanisms of lung cancer in non-smokers, especially women. He is one of the founders and directors of the Women’s Lung Center within the Price Family Center for Comprehensive Chest Care. This multidisciplinary center focuses on unique issues facing women including lung cancer in non-smokers and metastatic cancers. Dr. Stanifer completed his general surgery residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire. He is Board-certified in general surgery. While at Dartmouth, he obtained a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard with a focus on management and health policy. During his time at Harvard he was a Carson Family Scholar.He graduated medical school from the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University where he was a Quillen Medical Scholar. While a student at Quillen, he completed a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. He is a graduate of the College of William and Mary where he focused on molecular and evolutionary biology. His research won a Howard Hughes Student Research grant. He has extensive volunteer experience in underserved areas and was an intern for the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at (212) 305-3408. Dr. Stanifer is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Lymphofollicular Hyperplasia, Fibrosing Mediastinitis, Lung Cancer, Lung Transplant, and Endoscopy.

Meghan Aversa is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Aversa is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are Cystic Fibrosis, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Secondary Immunodeficiency (SID), Interstitial Lung Disease, and Lung Transplant.

Travis Geraci is a Thoracic Surgeon in New York, New York. Dr. Geraci is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Lung Cancer, Lung Nodules, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Lung Transplant, and Thymectomy.

Harish Seethamraju is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Seethamraju is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Pneumonia, Lung Transplant, and Gastrostomy.

Hilary Robbins is a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Robbins is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Lung Metastases, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Lung Transplant.

Melissa Lesko is an Internal Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Lesko has been practicing medicine for over 17 years and is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are Pulmonary Fibrosis, Lung Metastases, Interstitial Lung Disease, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, and Lung Transplant.

Jake Natalini is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Natalini is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. His top areas of expertise are Rheumatoid Lung Disease, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Interstitial Lung Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and Lung Transplant.

Kemarut Laothamatas is an Intensive Care Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Laothamatas is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are COVID-19, Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Pulmonary Hypertension, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Lung Transplant.

Gabriela Magda is a Cardiologist and a Pulmonary Medicine provider in New York, New York. Dr. Magda is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in Lung Transplant. Her top areas of expertise are Acute Interstitial Pneumonia, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Interstitial Lung Disease, and Lung Transplant.