【Research Keyword】
Our research focuses on the regulatory mechanisms of the plastic alterations in skeletal muscles and other musculoskeletal systems.
1. Intracellular signaling pathways regulating skeletal muscle hypertrophy.
2. Identification of factors inducing skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy associated with wasting diseases including cancer cachexia and the efficacy of therapeutic exercise intervention.
3. Molecular basis for the development of skeletal muscle atrophy resistance in hibernating animals (Why hibernating animals are able to maintain physical function without becoming bedridden status?).
4. Functional regulation of skeletal muscle and motor function by the circadian rhythm.
5. Development of optimal intervention strategies to prevent and improve frailty and sarcopenia.

【Recent highlights】
Miyazaki M et al., Supplementing cultured human myotubes with hibernating bear serum results in increased protein content by modulating Akt/FOXO3a signaling. PLOS ONE.2022;17(1): e0263085.
Kitaoka Y et al., Voluntary exercise prevents abnormal muscle mitochondrial morphology in cancer cachexia mice. Physiological Reports. 2021 August;9(16):e15016.
Miyazaki M et al., Transient activation of mTORC1 signaling in skeletal muscle is independent of Akt1 regulation. Physiological Reports. 2020 Oct;8(19):e14599.
Miyazaki M et al., Skeletal muscles of hibernating black bears show minimal atrophy and phenotype shifting despite prolonged physical inactivity and starvation. PLOS ONE.2019;14(4):e0215489.
Moriya N et al., Akt1 deficiency diminishes skeletal muscle hypertrophy by reducing satellite cell proliferation, American Journal of Physiology -Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology-, 2018;314(5):R741-R751.