Professor Hsiao-Chi Chuang has long been dedicated to research on environmental exposure, climate change, and chronic respiratory diseases. His core research interests focus on how air pollution, extreme climate events, and aerosol microbiota affect respiratory health and further contribute to the onset and exacerbation of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute lung injury. A distinctive feature of his research lies in the integration of environmental medicine, respiratory toxicology, clinical cohort studies, molecular biology, and translational medicine, thereby establishing a comprehensive research framework that bridges basic mechanistic investigation and clinical application development.

One of his major research areas is to investigate the effects of air pollution and aerosol components on pulmonary epithelial injury and the progression of chronic respiratory diseases. His studies focus on environmental factors such as PM2.5, diesel exhaust particles, metal fumes, secondary organic aerosols, and ozone, analyzing how these exposures induce oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, epithelial cell senescence, impaired alveolar repair, and emphysema-like lesions.

The second major research direction examines the impact of climate change and extreme weather events on the instability of respiratory diseases. This line of research explores how climatic factors alter pollutant concentrations, pulmonary particle deposition, airway hydration balance, and epithelial cell responses, thereby increasing the risk of acute exacerbations of COPD and asthma.

The third research focus is the dysregulation of the naso-pulmonary axis microbiome and its role in respiratory inflammation. This research investigates how environmental pollution and extreme climate conditions alter the composition of the respiratory microbiome, disrupt epithelial barrier function, and trigger inflammation and immune imbalance.

The fourth research direction involves the development of precision early-warning systems and rapid detection technologies for respiratory diseases. By integrating environmental exposure data, clinical cohort data, microbiome profiling, epithelial gene expression, and meteorological information, his team aims to establish risk prediction models for respiratory disease exacerbations under extreme climate and air pollution events. In parallel, the research team is developing aptasensor-based rapid detection platforms to identify microbiome and epithelial biomarkers associated with acute exacerbations of asthma and COPD. These platforms are expected to provide real-time assessment tools applicable to outpatient clinics, emergency departments, home care, and telemedicine.

The fifth major research area focuses on innovative therapeutics for respiratory diseases and the development of ITIH4-based inhaled protein therapeutics. ITIH4 has already been granted a patent related to asthma treatment and has been further developed as an inhaled protein drug platform. Future studies will continue to evaluate the anti-inflammatory, pulmonary epithelial repair, alveolar regeneration, and lung function–protective effects of ITIH4. By integrating aerosol drug delivery technologies, this research aims to advance its clinical translation and commercialization.

All of these research efforts will be expanded through AC-ASIA, PREDICT-ASIA, and multinational collaborative networks to strengthen the integration of international clinical cohorts and environmental exposure data. Professor Chuang has established the Asthma and COPD Asia Research Team, encompassing the United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Taiwan. He also serves as the Taiwan Co-Principal Investigator of the Wellcome Trust project “Pollution and Rising Environmental Drivers of Illness under Climate Threats in Asia, PREDICT-ASIA.” These achievements provide a solid foundation for integrating climate-health data across Asia and advancing international collaborative research.

In 2026, this international platform will be further extended to conduct cross-national sample comparisons, joint cohort analyses, and the development of climate-health adaptation strategies. These efforts are expected to enhance Taiwan’s international visibility in the fields of climate change and respiratory medicine research.

The Inhalation Toxicology Research Lab (ITRL) specializes in environmental lung disease, with a principal research focus on the pathophysiology of the lungs and the adverse effects on the human respiratory system following exposure to airborne xenobiotics.

The laboratory currently comprises one postdoctoral researcher, two full-time research assistants, and several doctoral students from diverse international backgrounds, including Taiwan, Vietnam, Africa, and Central and South America. This multidisciplinary and multicultural research team supports the laboratory’s ongoing efforts to advance research in inhalation toxicology, environmental exposure, and respiratory health.