Overview
Dr. Kraft has a wide variety of clinical and research interests, including sepsis, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and has special expertise in rare lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP). PAP can be congenital, hereditary, autoimmune, or due to occupational exposures (e.g. dusts, fibers, silica).
Dr. Kraft performs whole lung lavage (WLL) at Duke in a state-of-the art hyperbaric chamber within the Duke Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Environmental Physiology. Performing WLL with hyperbaric oxygen (when necessary) augments oxygen delivery during the procedure, meaning both lungs can be lavaged on the same day, during a single episode of anesthesia.
Dr. Kraft’s research laboratory is devoted to understanding mechanisms of acute lung injury resolution, and uses translational models and clinical patient samples to identify novel pathways of recovery. Dr. Kraft is also an active investigator in clinical trials to develop new therapies for patients with lung diseases.
Current Appointments & Affiliations
Recent Publications
The Dilemma of Water-Filled Tracheostomy Tube Cuffs
Journal Article Respiratory Care · April 3, 2025 Full text CiteAcute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Chapter · January 1, 2025 Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a highly lethal (>40% mortality) form of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure that may account for as many as 10% of all admissions to the intensive care unit. Nearly any type of infectious or inflammatory insul ... Full text CiteSARS-CoV-2 viremia but not respiratory viral load is associated with respiratory complications in patients with severe COVID-19.
Journal Article BMC Pulm Med · July 29, 2024 BACKGROUND: Severe COVID-19 carries a high morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have shown an association between COVID-19 severity and SARS-CoV-2 viral load (VL). We sought to measure VL in multiple compartments (urine, plasma, lower respiratory trac ... Full text Link to item CiteRecent Grants
Duke Program of Training in Pulmonary ReSearch to Promote, Engage and Retain Academic Researchers (PROSPER)
Inst. Training Prgm or CMEPreceptor · Awarded by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute · 2022 - 2026METABOLIC SYSTEM FOR IN VIVO RODENT TESTING
EquipmentMentor · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2021 - 2022Role of S-nitrosothiols on Akt1 signaling and pneumonia resolution
ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Institutes of Health · 2017 - 2021View All Grants