Masaki Mizuno

Dr. Masaki Mizuno is an Associate Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, specializing in autonomic control of the cardiovascular system. He earned his PhD from Waseda University (2005) and joined UT Southwestern’s faculty in 2011 after postdoctoral training there. His research focuses on mechanisms underlying circulatory control alterations in diabetes and hypertension, particularly insulin resistance’s role in sympathetic nerve activity abnormalities. He holds leadership roles in professional societies, including Fellow status with the American College of Sports Medicine.

Research Interests: Dr. Mizuno’s lab investigates central and peripheral mechanisms of autonomic dysregulation in diabetes, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s disease. Key topics include insulin signaling’s effects on muscle afferents, TRPV channels in mechanosensation, and exercise pressor reflex dysfunction in metabolic disorders. His work bridges basic science and clinical implications, emphasizing translational outcomes.

Grants: NIH NHLBI R01HL151632 supports his studies on insulin resistance and cardiovascular control during exercise in diabetes. His lab includes postdoctoral fellows (Amane Hori, Ayumi Fukazawa) and collaborators like Dr. Vongpatanasin and Smith. Alumni include Rie Ishizawa (now at National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya) and Norio Hotta (Chubu University).

Labs/Teams: Mizuno Lab at UT Southwestern focuses on cardiovascular autonomic regulation, with ongoing projects on metabolic and neurological influences on sympathetic activity. Recent findings highlight TRPV4 channel roles in mechanotransduction and insulin’s modulation of muscle reflex pathways.