Research Focus Areas

Mechanical Ventilation, Biomechanics, & Respiratory Physiology

Leveraging Dr. Dylag’s engineering background, the lab develops and studies novel non-invasive ventilation strategies, including

• A patented non-invasive NIPPV system for newborn mice
• Neonatal respiratory mechanics, including pressure–volume and compliance analysis

Current work includes a mouse model of NIPPV-induced mechanical stress and a funded project on hyperoxia and mechanical ventilation interactions.

Lung Injury and Repair After Neonatal Hyperoxia

The lab has established multiple murine hyperoxia models to study how early oxidative stress alters:

• Alveolar and airway development
• Extracellular matrix and matrisome remodeling
• Epithelial and endothelial injury
• Susceptibility to viral infections (e.g., influenza, RSV)
• Long-term airway hyperreactivity

This work is supported by a K08 (NIH/NHLBI) defining the roles of lung megakaryocytes in airway disease and multiple prior awards examining chronic oxygen exposure, intermittent hypoxemia, and respiratory outcomes.

Multi-Omic Mapping of BPD and Region-Specific Lung Injury

As a collaborator in LungMAP, the lab performs:

• Whole-lung and region-specific proteomics
• Sorted-cell proteomics (AT1, AT2, endothelial, immune populations)
• Matrisome analysis
• Spatial and multiplexed immunohistochemistry

These datasets have uncovered novel pathways in BPD pathogenesis, including redox imbalance, epithelial cornification, and structural ECM dysregulation.

Machine Learning and Clinical Decision Support in the NICU

Dr. Dylag leads or co-leads multiple ML/AI initiatives, including:

• CRADLE (Comprehensive Real-Time Assisted Deep Learning in ELGANs)
• Predictive modeling of BPD severity using time-series data
• Multi-task learning to predict adverse neonatal outcomes
• Clinical decision support tools for extubation readiness, pulmonary hypertension screening, and early hemodynamic instability

This work has produced national abstracts (ATS, PAS), peer-reviewed publications, and ongoing collaboration with NICU informatics and data science teams.

Translational Quality-Improvement Science

As director of the URMC Small Baby Program and leader of the BPD workgroup, Dr. Dylag leads QI initiatives that have:

• Reduced chronic lung disease rates
• Standardized Golden Hour management
• Improved extubation success
• Optimized sedation and analgesia on high-frequency ventilation
• Advanced early enteral feeding and fluid management strategies