
Ira J. Dunkel, MD
Pediatric Oncologist
Titles
Attending Pediatrician
Clinical Expertise
Brain Tumors; Retinoblastoma
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Only outpatient providers are included in the survey. Healthcare providers who only work in the hospital or in urgent care are not included in the survey. Pathologists or researchers who do not provide direct care to patients do not have reviews.
New Patient Appointments
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Dr. Dunkel accepts the following list of insurance providers. Select your insurance provider to see more details.
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS, Transplant
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO PPO, POS
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO, DSN
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, EPO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO, PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): EPO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Medicaid/Managed Medicaid
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): Federal Government
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): Supplemental
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO/OAP
Payor Type: Other
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Payor Type: Medicare/Medicare Advantage
In Network Coverage Type(s): TBD
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): HMO/EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, EPO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): State Government
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, HMO
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS
Payor Type: Commercial
In Network Coverage Type(s): PPO, POS, HMO
Contact and Location
- 212-639-2153 Office Phone
- Speaks English

Memorial Sloan Kettering has locations throughout New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and Westchester. These locations offer many services, including screening, chemotherapy, and medical testing.
See all locationsAbout Me
Education
MD, Duke University
Residencies
Pediatrics - Duke University
Fellowships
Pediatric Infectious Disease - Duke University/Muhimbili Medical Center; Pediatric Hematology/Oncology - Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Board Certifications
Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
I am a pediatric oncologist on the MSK Kids team who specializes in caring for children, teenagers, and young adults with brain and eye tumors, including medulloblastoma (the most common cancerous brain tumor in children) and retinoblastoma (a rare eye tumor in children). I also treat children and teenagers with melanoma and children and adults with a rare white blood cell disorder called Langerhans cell histiocytosis.
In my clinical research on brain tumors, my colleagues and I are seeking to develop more-effective therapies with fewer and less severe side effects. Much of this work involves clinical trials to evaluate new drugs for difficult to treat tumors, such as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, glioblastoma, recurrent medulloblastoma, and recurrent ependymoma.
I am also working to develop new treatments for retinoblastoma. These include the use of intensive therapy for children whose retinoblastoma has spread outside the eye and local chemotherapy for those with advanced cancer within the eye.
Read more
Nationally, I am chair of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium, a National Cancer Institute–sponsored clinical trials group. I am a member of the Children’s Oncology Group’s Rare Tumors (Retinoblastoma) Committee and Brain Tumor Committee, and I serve as the principal investigator for national clinical trials addressing these tumors. I am also a member of the National Cancer Institute’s Brain Malignancy Steering Committee and a special government employee for the US Food and Drug Administration’s Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee.
In addition to patient care and research, I work closely with young doctors who are training in pediatric oncology to help them learn how best to identify the individual needs of patients and to care for children with cancer.
It is very rewarding to work with patients and their families. I tailor their care to their needs and explain the treatment options to them their treatment options, guiding them in complex decision-making or exploring various alternatives. At MSK, our goal is to cure the cancer while leaving the patient with as normal a life as possible.
Awards and Honors
- Castle Connolly: America's Top Doctors (2023)
- Castle Connolly: New York Magazine Top Doctors (2005-2020)
- Achievement Award, American Academy of Ophthalmology (2012)
- Paul Meyers Teaching Award, Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering (2015)
Colleagues
Doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering work as teams, with specialists from all different areas. This allows us to consider all your needs together, and to give you the best possible care.
Clinical Trials
- Clinical Trials Investigated by Dr. Dunkel
- A Feasibility Study of the Optune Electric Field Device to Treat Children with Recurrent or Persistent Supratentorial High-Grade Gliomas and Ependymomas
- A Phase I Study of APX005M Immunotherapy in Pediatric Patients with Persistent or Recurrent Brain Tumors and Newly Diagnosed Brain Stem Glioma
- A Phase I Study of Savolitinib in Patients with Recurrent or Persistent Medulloblastoma, High-Grade Glioma, or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
- A Pilot Study of SurVaxM in Children and Young Adults with Progressive or Relapsed Medulloblastoma, High-Grade Glioma, or Ependymoma or Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
Read more
- A Study of the Safety and Preliminary Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab Immunotherapy to Treat Children and Adolescents with Recurrent or Persistent High-Grade Glioma or Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
- Clinical Trials Co-Investigated by Dr. Dunkel
- A Phase I Study of HER2-Directed CAR T-Cell Therapy for People with Recurrent or Persistent Ependymoma
- A Phase I Study of INCB7839 in Children with Recurrent High-Grade Glioma that Continues to Grow
- A Phase I/II Study of CX-4945 (a "Sonic Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor) in Patients with Recurrent Sonic Hedgehog-type Medulloblastoma
- A Phase II International Collaborative Treatment Protocol for Children and Adolescents with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis
- A Phase II Study Assessing the Use of Omburtamab Radioimmunotherapy for Recurrent Medulloblastoma and Ependymoma in Children and Adolescents
- A Phase II Study of Reduced Therapy for Patients Newly Diagnosed with Average-Risk WNT-Driven Medulloblastoma
- Effect of Treatment on Quality of Life in Survivors of Retinoblastoma in One Eye

Memorial Sloan Kettering's doctors and scientists are constantly developing new treatments for cancer. MSK is typically running hundreds of clinical trials at a given time.
You may be able to participate in a clinical trial even if you are new to MSK. Search our online directory to find trial information and see more about who can participate.
Search clinical trialsResearch and Publications
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Dunkel’s journal articles. Pubmed is an online index of research papers and other articles from the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
See all on PubMedPatient Reviews
At MSK, we’re committed to delivering the best care to every patient. We use feedback from our patients to continue to improve our care. We also post patient reviews online to help you make healthcare choices. Learn more about our patient experience reviews.
Disclosures
Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.
MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.
Ira J. Dunkel discloses the following relationships and financial interests:
-
American Board of Pediatrics
Provision of Services -
AstraZeneca
Provision of Services -
Bridge To A Cure Foundation
Provision of Services (uncompensated) -
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Provision of Services
-
Day One Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.
Provision of Services -
Pyramid Biosciences, Inc.
Provision of Services -
The Kamen Brain Tumor Foundation
Provision of Services (uncompensated)
If you’re a patient at MSK and would like more information about your doctor’s external relationships, please talk with your doctor.
The information published here is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.
This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2021 through disclosure submission in spring 2022). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.
Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].