Dr Emily Swindle and her group have developed an airway barrier microphysiological system incorporating bronchial epithelial cells which recapitulates interstitial flow of the in vivo tissue microenvironment and can monitor barrier responses in real-time. Other in vitro cell culture models include fully differentiated epithelial-endothelial, epithelial-fibroblast and epithelial-mast cell co-cultures to determine cross-talk between the bronchial epithelium and underlying structural or immune cells following environmental challenges. Cells used in these studies are from cell lines, healthy individuals and patients with asthma.