Xingbin Ai, PhD

Dr. Ai’s studies how the disruption of lung development by environmental and genetic factors negatively impacts on long-term airway function. Leveraging a variety of experimental tools and models, Dr. Ai focuses on disease mechanisms of childhood asthma, sudden infant death syndrome, and lung defects in congenital diaphragmic hernia. Dr. Ai’s research has revealed critical roles of the nerves in the regulation of airway smooth muscle contractility, neuroendocrine secretion, and T helper type 2 differentiation. In addition, Dr. Ai collaborates with Dr. Lerou in research projects that employ airway epithelial stem cells and mesenchymal stromal cells from tracheal aspirates of patients to study postnatal development and infection in human airways.