Rachel Niec, MD, PhD, MS
Gastroenterologist & Physician-Scientist
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Areas of Expertise
My Specialties
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- GI Complications of Immunotherapy
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About Me
- Gastroenterologist
I am a gastroenterologist and physician-scientist who cares for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). I specialize in the treatment of:
- People with IBD
- People with IBD who have cancer or are at risk for developing cancer
- People who experience immune-related side effects of cancer therapy
People who are receiving certain types of immunotherapies as part of their cancer treatment plans have a chance of experiencing immune-related side effects, including IBD-like illness. I am an expert in treating IBD and the gastrointestinal side effects of immunotherapy.
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At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), I work closely with our medical oncologists to effectively treat and manage side effects throughout our patients’ cancer treatment journeys. I also collaborate with MSK’s nurses, colorectal surgeons, nutritionists, mental health professionals, and other specialists to care for the whole person.
I strive to provide the highest-quality care for my patients, informed by cutting-edge research and a desire to help each person live their life to their fullest potential. I believe the best outcomes are achieved when physicians and patients work closely together and communicate openly about the patient’s individual priorities, expectations, and goals. I am intentional about creating an environment where patients can feel comfortable expressing themselves and speaking honestly about any aspect of their care.
As a physician-scientist, I am actively involved in basic and translational immunology and oncology research. My laboratory performs research focused on understanding the gastrointestinal complications of immunotherapy and the environmental and inflammatory risk factors for IBD and colorectal cancer. Our ultimate goal is to improve the field’s understanding of the factors that drive inflammatory disease, colorectal cancer, and the gastrointestinal-related side effects of immunotherapy to develop safe, effective therapies and preventive approaches.
A gastroenterologist (GAS-troh-EN-teh-RAH-loh-jist) is a doctor with special training in the gastrointestinal (GI) system. This includes the esophagus, intestines, stomach, bile ducts, gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.
A physician-scientist is a doctor who also is a researcher.
My Specialties
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- GI Complications of Immunotherapy
- Colorectal Cancer
- Colon Dysplasia Surveillance
- Colonoscopy
- Polypectomy
- Chromoendoscopy
- Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
Residencies
- Internal Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Awards and Honors
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists (2021)
- American Society for Clinical Investigation Emerging Generation Award, (2021)
- Arnold Weg Prize in Gastroenterology, Weill Cornell Medicine (2017)
- Fullbright Scholarship in Medical Science (2006)
- Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, Mills College (2006)
Fellowships
- Gastroenterology, NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center
Board Certifications
- Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology
Insurance Information
Understanding your insurance options is an important part of managing your cancer care. We have relationships with many common healthcare providers and plans.
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO PPO, POS
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, HMO
MSK has a tentative agreement with Cigna to continue coverage in 2024.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Emblem to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
PPO
In Network Coverage Type
HMO, EPO
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Fidelis to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO, HMO, PPO, POS
Offers a qualified health plan from the Health Insurance Marketplace. Call Healthfirst to learn more.
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
EPO
In Network Coverage Type
Federal Government
In Network Coverage Type
PPO, POS, EPO, HMO
In Network Coverage Type
State Government
Don't see your carrier or plan? We can help you understand your coverage.
If you don't have health insurance or are worried that your care may not be fully covered, our financial assistance programs may be able to help.
If you have questions about insurance, call us at 646-497-9176.
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New Patients
Current Patients
Contact and Location
Dr. Niec sees patients at three locations.
Looking to see a doctor at a different location? See all MSK locations.
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.
See all Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Service doctors
Clinical Trials
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
Niec RE, Rudensky AY, Fuchs E. Inflammatory adaptation in barrier tissues. Cell. 2021 Jun 24;184(13):3361-3375. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2021.05.036. PMID: 34171319; PMCID: PMC8336675.
Niec RE, Chu T, Schernthanner M, Gur-Cohen S, Hidalgo L, Pasolli HA, Luckett KA, Wang Z, Bhalla SR, Cambuli F, Kataru RP, Ganesh K, Mehrara BJ, Pe’er D, Fuchs E. Lymphatics act as a signaling hub to regulate intestinal stem cell activity. Cell Stem Cell. 2022 Jul 7;29(7):1067-1082.e18. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.05.007. Epub 2022 Jun 20. PMID: 35728595; PMCID: PMC9271639.
Cheong JG, Ravishankar A, Sharma S, Parkhurst CN, Grassmann SA, Wingert CK, Laurent P, Ma S, Paddock L, Miranda IC, Karakaslar EO, Nehar-Belaid D, Thibodeau A, Bale MJ, Kartha VK, Yee JK, Mays MY, Jiang C, Daman AW, Martinez de Paz A, Ahimovic D, Ramos V, Lercher A, Nielsen E, Alvarez-Mulett S, Zheng L, Earl A, Yallowitz A, Robbins L, LaFond E, Weidman KL, Racine-Brzostek S, Yang HS, Price DR, Leyre L, Rendeiro AF, Ravichandran H, Kim J, Borczuk AC, Rice CM, Jones RB, Schenck EJ, Kaner RJ, Chadburn A, Zhao Z, Pascual V, Elemento O, Schwartz RE, Buenrostro JD, Niec RE, Barrat FJ, Lief L, Sun JC, Ucar D, Josefowicz SZ. Epigenetic memory of coronavirus infection in innate immune cells and their progenitors. Cell. 2023 Aug 31;186(18):3882-3902.e24. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.019. Epub 2023 Aug 18. PMID: 37597510.
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Rubtsov YP, Niec RE, Josefowicz S, Li L, Darce J, Mathis D, Benoist C, Rudensky AY. Stability of the regulatory T cell lineage in vivo. Science. 2010 Sep 24;329(5999):1667-71. doi: 10.1126/science.1191996. PMID: 20929851; PMCID: PMC4262151.
Josefowicz SZ, Niec RE, Kim HY, Treuting P, Chinen T, Zheng Y, Umetsu DT, Rudensky AY. Extrathymically generated regulatory T cells control mucosal TH2 inflammation. Nature. 2012 Feb 8;482(7385):395-9. doi: 10.1038/nature10772. PMID: 22318520; PMCID: PMC3485072.
Visit PubMed for a full listing of Dr. Niec’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.
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