Yoshiharu Muto

Yoshiharu Muto, M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, specializing in nephrology. His research focuses on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying kidney diseases, particularly acute kidney injury (AKI), chronic kidney disease (CKD), and polycystic kidney disease. He employs cutting-edge techniques like single-cell analysis, genomic profiling, and mouse genetics to identify novel therapeutic targets, emphasizing how metabolic deregulation influences the epigenome in kidney pathologies. Dr. Muto completed his medical and doctoral training at Kyushu University in Japan, followed by residency and nephrology fellowship at Iizuka Hospital. He conducted postdoctoral research at Washington University in St. Louis before joining UT Southwestern in 2024.

His work integrates multi-omics approaches to dissect cellular complexity in kidney diseases, with recent studies examining chromatin accessibility, gene regulatory networks, and spatial transcriptomics. Key contributions include defining the role of HMGB1 in AKI-CKD transitions and identifying drivers of diabetic kidney disease progression through chromatin profiling. While no formal students are listed, his collaborative projects involve numerous co-authors and institutional partnerships.

Dr. Muto’s research frequently appears in high-impact journals like Nature Communications and Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. He is affiliated with UT Southwestern’s Division of Nephrology and actively contributes to translational studies aimed at improving kidney disease outcomes. Outside academia, he values family, outdoor activities, and culinary pursuits.