Daniel Croft, M.D., M.P.H.

My two main goals are to improve the health of individual patients and improve the health of populations through research on air pollution and inhaled toxins.

In addition to treating patients with general pulmonary disease in my outpatient clinic at the Mary Parkes Center for Asthma, Allergy & Pulmonary Care, I have a special interest in occupational lung disease. Under expert mentorship from Dr. Mark Utell and colleagues, I have developed expertise in the diagnosis and management of disorders caused by inhaled toxins that injure people both at home and in the workplace. This includes my efforts to help patients quit smoking and other inhaled toxins.
My work in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) in the University of Rochester Medical Center involves caring for critically ill patients in the hospital.

My primary research focus is on the pulmonary health effects of air pollution. I am currently completing a NIH funded career development project focused on the contribution of air pollution to the susceptibility of individuals suffering from respiratory viral infections. I also am involved in translational research on indoor air pollution and on other inhaled toxins including electronic nicotine delivery systems (vaping).

Professional Background

I grew up in the Midwest, completing my undergraduate and medical school training at Indiana University. While in medical school I completed a Master's in Public Health in public health policy and management. After completing multiple public health policy projects in the U.S. and abroad, I started my internal medicine training at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. At Dartmouth, I started investigating improved health care delivery methods with health policy experts at The Dartmouth Institute. I then moved to Rochester in 2014 to begin my fellowship training in Pulmonary and Critical Care medicine. During my fellowship supported by a NIH T32 training grant, and subsequent transition to the faculty at URMC, I have continued my work as a clinician researcher studying the respiratory health effects of inhaled toxins.

Research