Dr. Jonas A. Nelson

Dr. Jonas A. Nelson, MD, MPH, is a plastic surgeon at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) specializing in complex reconstruction following surgery for breast cancer, head and neck cancers, and abdominal wall hernia. He holds particular expertise in microsurgical breast reconstruction and complex abdominal wall reconstruction, and serves as Director of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Clinical Research Fellowship and Assistant Director of the Hernia and Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Program at MSK. His path to oncologic reconstructive surgery was shaped early in life, when watching a close family member face cancer and later participating in medical trips alongside a plastic surgeon gave him a firsthand appreciation for how reconstruction can restore a sense of normalcy, both functionally and psychologically, after cancer treatment.

Dr. Nelson's clinical philosophy centers on the belief that appearance and quality of life are essential components of care, not secondary concerns. As a former college athlete, he brings a personal understanding of the importance of form and function, and focuses on helping patients recover quickly, safely, and with the ability to return to activities they love. His research interests concentrate on patient-reported outcomes after reconstruction, with a primary focus on breast reconstruction. He uses the BREAST-Q, a well-established outcome measurement tool, in routine clinical care at MSK to guide decision-making, improve satisfaction, and better understand what drives quality of life following reconstructive procedures. Translating this research data directly into patient care is a central part of his work.

Dr. Nelson is equally committed to the human side of surgical care. He works to ease the anxiety that often accompanies a cancer diagnosis by meeting openly with patients and their families, answering questions, and establishing a clear plan of action from the outset. Through his leadership of the clinical research fellowship and his role in MSK's multidisciplinary hernia program, he also contributes to training the next generation of reconstructive surgeons and advancing team-based approaches to complex abdominal wall repair.