Danielle Antin-Ozerkis, MD

Danielle Antin-Ozerkis, MD, specializes in the evaluation and management of advanced lung disease. She is the medical director of the Yale Medicine Interstitial Lung Disease Program and cares for patients with all forms of the disease.

“We look for any signs of connective tissue disease and for possible exposures in the workplace and home (such as birds and mold), all of which can lead to interstitial lung disease,” explains Dr. Antin-Ozerkis. “We have a dedicated multidisciplinary group that meets weekly to discuss patient cases and research. Everything we do keeps the focus on the patient. It is so important to get the diagnosis right, as the correct treatment hinges on this. Sometimes the therapy involves new antifibrotic drugs. Other patients may require immunosuppressive therapy. For some, clinical trials are an option. We also focus on quality of life, exercise, oxygen, nutrition and emotional support.”

An associate professor of medicine (pulmonary) at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Antin-Ozerkis says she enjoys the complexities of pulmonary medicine and the personalized approach involved in treating it. “I love talking with people and trying to understand the reasons they became ill,” she says. “Each time I can sit with a patient and talk with them about their disease in a way that they haven't heard before makes my work feel worthwhile.”