1. 實蠅總科及潛蠅科等雙翅目昆蟲的分類、係統發育與動物地理學
2. 昆蟲圖像自動識別

研究興趣：

1. 係統分類學研究，主要著重於中國實蠅科、斑蠅科、廣口蠅科、潛蠅科及寄蠅科等類群的分類與區係研究，以及世界實蠅科狹腹實蠅族昆蟲的分類與係統發育研究；
2. 功能形態學研究，主要以實蠅科昆蟲為研究對象，探討其雌性針突端部細微形態結構與寄主植物間可能存在的形態-功能聯係，以及功能形態學意義等，進而探討與寄主植物間協同演化關係等；
3. 動物地理學研究，主要以突眼實蠅類昆蟲為研究對象，結合分類學、形態學、古地質及分子進化等多方麵的證據，探討其自然曆史和地理分布格局成因；
4. 自動識別研究，主要開展實蠅科昆蟲及其它重要農林昆蟲基於圖像的核心識別模塊及應用係統的設計和研發；

　　博士論文“中國西北地區蚜類的係統學研究” 獲1998年度“中國科學院院長獎學金優秀獎。

　　先後作為項目組主要成員參加和完成國家自然科學基金“九五”重大子課題和麵上項目共4項，主持國家自然科學基金1項，國家科技條件平台子課題1項，國家重點實驗室開放課題1項，中科院留學基金及國家留學基金國際合作項目2項：

1. 中國斑蠅科昆蟲的係統分類研究（國家自然科學基金麵上項目. 2008-2010）
2. 中國果實蠅屬昆蟲自動識別研究（國家科技基礎條件平台工作重點項目專題子項目. 2007）
3. 果實蠅屬昆蟲的模式識別基礎（國家模式識別重點實驗室開放課題. 2007-2009）
4. 昆蟲的多樣性與物種識別（國家科技基礎條件平台“中國數字科技館”二級子項目. 2007-2008）
5. 世界狹腹實蠅族昆蟲形態、分類與進化（國際合作項目. 2009-）
6. 世界重要有害實蠅自動識別係統（國際合作項目. 2011-2012）
7. 環京津地區寄生性天敵昆蟲考察-寄蠅科（科技基礎性工作專項專題子項目. 2012-2017）
8. 基於圖像及MRI技術的實蠅識別係統研發(質檢公益性行業科研專項子課題, 2012-2014)

1. Chen Xiao-lin,, Wang Xing-jian & Zhu Chao-dong. 2013. New species and records of Trypetinae (Diptera: Tephritidae) from China.Zootaxa. 3710(4):333-353.
2. Chen Xiao-lin, Libing Zhou, Shaojun Wang, Zhiwen Li & Jie Li. 2011. A new species and record of Bactrocera Macquart (Diptera,Tephritidae) from China. Zootaxa. 3014: 59-64.
3. Chen Xiao-lin, Zhang Yanzhou, Li Jie & Chaodong Zhu. 2010。A review of stalk-eyed fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetinae).Zootaxa.2654: 1-16.
4. Chen Xiao-lin & Elena P. Kameneva. 2009. A review of Ulidia Meigen (Diptera: Ulidiidae) from China. Zootaxa. 2175:42-50.
5. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2008. A new species of the genus Nemorimyza Frey (Diptera, Agromyzidae) from China. Acta Zootaxonomic Sinica, 33 (1):77-79.
6. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2008. A new species of the genus Tetanops Fallén (Diptera,Ulidiidae) from China. Acta Zootaxonomic Sinica. 33 (4):66-68.
7. Chen Xiao-Lin & Wang Xing-Jian. 2008. A review of the Chinese species of Aischrocrania Hendel (Diptera:Tephritidae). Pan-Pacific Entomologist. 84(1):9-16.
8. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2007. Two new species of the genus Cornutrypeta Han and Wang (Diptera: Tephritidae) from China. Entomologica News. 118(5): 497-502.
9. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2007. A new record genus and two new record species of Icteracantha Hendel (Diptera,Platystomatidae) from China, Thailand and India. Acta Zootaxonomic Sinica. 32(1): 118~120.
10. Chen Xiao-lin & Elena P. Kamenva. 2007. A review of Physiphora Fallén (Diptera: Ulidiidae) from China. Zootaxa. 1398:15~28.
11. Chen Xiao-Lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2006. A cladistic analysis of the subtribe Pelmatopina (Diptera: Tephritidae: Trypetinae: Adramini) and its phylogeographic implications. Instrumenta Biodiversitatis VII: 157~165.
12. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2006. Three new species of Eurydiopsis (Diptera:Diopsidae) from China. Entomologica News. 117(1): 73~82.
13. Chen Xiao-lin & Andrew E. Whittington. 2006. A new species in the genus Agadasys Whittington (Diptera: Platystomatidae, Plastotephritinae) from China. Zootaxa. 1358:59~66.
14. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2003. A taxonomic study of the subgenus Butomomyza Nowakoski, Genus Cerodontha (Diptera:Agromyzidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica 28(2): 356~358.
15. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2003. A review of the genus Calycomyza Hendel in China (Diptera:Agromyzidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica. 46(3): 359~362.
16. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2003. A review of the genus Napomyza Westwood in China (Diptera:Agromyzidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica. 46(5): 640~643.
17. Chen Xiao-lin & Wang Xing-jian. 2003. A new species of the genus Tropicomyia Spencer, 1973 from China (Diptera:Agromyzidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica. 28(4): 751~753.
18. Bernhard Merz & Chen Xiao-lin. 2005. A new species of Palloptera Fallén from China (Diptera: Pallopteridae). Mitteilungen der Schweizerischen Entomologischen Gesellschaft. 78: 117~123. 
19. Lu An, Hou XinWen, Chen Xiao-Lin & Liu Cheng-Lin. 2010. Insect Species Recognition using Sparse Representation. Proceedings of the British Machine Vision Conference, pages 108.1-108.10. BMVA Press, September 2010.
20. Wang Xing-jian & Chen Xiao-lin. 2002. A revision of the genus Dacus Fabricius from China (Diptera: Tephritidae). Acta Zootaxonomica Sinica. 27(3): 631~636. 
21. Wang Xing-jian & Chen Xiao-lin. 2002. A revision of the genus Gastrozona Bezzi from China (Diptera: Tephritidae). Acta Entomologica Sinica. 45(4): 507~515.
22. Zhao Zhe, Zhang Chuntian & Chen Xiao-lin.  2012. A new species of the genus Kuwanimyia Townsend, 1916 (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Zhanjiang, China. Zootaxa.3238：57-63.
23. 23. Zhao Zhe, Su Tian-juan, Chesters Douglas, Wang Shi-di, Ho Simon YW, Zhu Chao-dong, Chen Xiao-lin, Zhang Chun-tian. 2013 The mitochondrial genome of Elodia flavipalpis Aldrich (Diptera: Tachinidae) and the evolutionary timescale of tachinid flies. PLoS One 8(4):e61814. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061814