Tissue regeneration in organs built from repeating functional units—like the lung’s millions of alveoli—has long been thought to occur exclusively within each unit. In this seminar, I will show how alveolar type 2 (AT2) stem cells break this paradigm by migrating across alveolar boundaries to orchestrate repair. Combining genetic mouse models, longitudinal two-photon intravital imaging, and ex vivo lung explant microscopy, we directly visualize individual AT2 cells as they transition from sessile sentinels to active repair agents. We demonstrate that, following bleomycin-induced injury, AT2 cells not only proliferate in place but also traverse the pores of Kohn to repopulate adjacent alveoli. Genetic blockade of their motility impairs both AT2 and AT1 restoration, revealing migration as a critical, previously unrecognized driver of alveolar regeneration1. These findings redefine how we think about stem-cell–mediated tissue repair and open new avenues for therapies that harness or mimic cell motility in lung disease. Beyond this project, our lab integrates advanced imaging, genetic perturbations, and single-cell genomics to dissect the molecular circuits that govern lung stem-cell behavior in health and disease. Our goal is to translate these insights into novel strategies for promoting regeneration in chronic respiratory disorders.