1. 实蝇总科及潜蝇科等双翅目昆虫的分类、系统发育与动物地理学
2. 昆虫图像自动识别

研究兴趣：

1. 系统分类学研究，主要着重于中国实蝇科、斑蝇科、广口蝇科、潜蝇科及寄蝇科等类群的分类与区系研究，以及世界实蝇科狭腹实蝇族昆虫的分类与系统发育研究；
2. 功能形态学研究，主要以实蝇科昆虫为研究对象，探讨其雌性针突端部细微形态结构与寄主植物间可能存在的形态-功能联系，以及功能形态学意义等，进而探讨与寄主植物间协同演化关系等；
3. 动物地理学研究，主要以突眼实蝇类昆虫为研究对象，结合分类学、形态学、古地质及分子进化等多方面的证据，探讨其自然历史和地理分布格局成因；
4. 自动识别研究，主要开展实蝇科昆虫及其它重要农林昆虫基于图像的核心识别模块及应用系统的设计和研发；

　　博士论文“中国西北地区蚜类的系统学研究” 获1998年度“中国科学院院长奖学金优秀奖。

　　先后作为项目组主要成员参加和完成国家自然科学基金“九五”重大子课题和面上项目共4项，主持国家自然科学基金1项，国家科技条件平台子课题1项，国家重点实验室开放课题1项，中科院留学基金及国家留学基金国际合作项目2项：

1. 中国斑蝇科昆虫的系统分类研究（国家自然科学基金面上项目. 2008-2010）
2. 中国果实蝇属昆虫自动识别研究（国家科技基础条件平台工作重点项目专题子项目. 2007）
3. 果实蝇属昆虫的模式识别基础（国家模式识别重点实验室开放课题. 2007-2009）
4. 昆虫的多样性与物种识别（国家科技基础条件平台“中国数字科技馆”二级子项目. 2007-2008）
5. 世界狭腹实蝇族昆虫形态、分类与进化（国际合作项目. 2009-）
6. 世界重要有害实蝇自动识别系统（国际合作项目. 2011-2012）
7. 环京津地区寄生性天敌昆虫考察-寄蝇科（科技基础性工作专项专题子项目. 2012-2017）
8. 基于图像及MRI技术的实蝇识别系统研发(质检公益性行业科研专项子课题, 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