Dr. Desai is in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine and the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. He received his medical degree and a Masters in Public Health from Tufts University School of Medicine, completed residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan, fellowship in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Boston University, then a post-doctoral fellowship in the Biochemistry Department at Stanford University. He is a practicing pulmonologist with a clinical interest in Interstitial Lung Diseases. Dr. Desai’s research focuses on basic lung biology important for maintaining healthy lung structure and function throughout life. He investigates how stem cells generate new lung cells to replace those lost during aging and following injuries, and how stem cells participate in major diseases like cancer, COPD/emphysema, and pulmonary fibrosis. Another focus of his research is how to harness stem cells to treat lung diseases like cystic fibrosis through stem cell transplantation.