- MD, Shandong University School of Medicine, Jinan, China (1987)
- PhD, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan (2001)
Education & Training
Immune-mediated inner ear disorders
Our research aims to elucidate the mechanisms underlying immune-mediated inner ear disorders. We investigate cochlear immune responses in both pathogen-induced and non–pathogen-induced sensorineural hearing loss. To model human disease, we utilize multiple animal systems that recapitulate conditions such as chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM)–associated hearing loss, noise-induced hearing loss, Menière’s disease, and autoimmune inner ear disease. Macrophages are key mediators of innate immunity, regulating immune homeostasis and coordinating host defense. Beyond these roles, macrophages contribute to oxidative stress regulation, iron metabolism, tissue repair, and broader metabolic processes.
Our studies have shown that cochlear macrophages play a critical role in shaping the immune response within the inner ear under pathological conditions. However, the heterogeneity and functional specialization of cochlear macrophage subsets remain poorly understood. We are leveraging transgenic reporter and conditional genetic manipulation tools to dissect macrophage phenotypes and define their mechanistic contributions to inner ear disease pathology.
Yuan V*, Xia A*, Santa Maria PL*. Chronic suppurative otitis media: disrupted host-microbial interactions and immune dysregulation. Front Immunol. 2025 Mar 6:16:1547206 PubMed PMID: 40114926. Schiel V, Bhattacharya R, Gupta A, Eftekharian K, Xia A* and Santa Maria P.L. Targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome in cochlear macrophages protects against hearing loss in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media. J Neuroinflammation. 2024 Sep 14;21(1):223. PubMed PMID: 39277762.
Gupta A, Schiel V, Bhattacharya R, Eftekharian K, Xia A* and Santa Maria P.L. Chemokine Receptor CCR2 is protective towards Outer Hair Cells in Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media. Immunohorizons. 2024 Sep 1;8(9):688-694. PubMed PMID: 39264736.
Xia A*, Thai A, Cao Z, Chen X, Chen J, Bacacao B, Bekale LA, Schiel V, Bollyky PL and Santa Maria PL. Chronic suppurative otitis media causes macrophage-associated sensorineural hearing loss. J Neuroinflammation. 2022 Sep 12;19(1):224. PubMed PMID: 36096817.
Kouhi A, Xia A, Khomtchouk K, Santa Maria PL. Minimally invasive trans-tympanic eustachian tube occlusion animal model. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2022. May;156:111070. PubMed PMID: 35228098.
Xia A, Liu X, Raphael PD, Applegate BE, and Oghalai JS. Hair cell force generation does not amplify or tune vibrations within the chicken basilar papilla. Nature Communications. 2016 Oct 31;7:13133. PubMed PMID: 27796310.
