Junichi Saito
Assistant Professor
Academic Appointment(s)
Medical College of Georgia
Department of Pediatrics
Medical College of Georgia
Department of Vascular Biology Center
Bio
I am a pediatrician and vascular biologist, leading a laboratory primarily focused on the interplay between cells and the extracellular matrix in pediatric vascular diseases.
Education
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Ph.D., Medical Science/Scientist
Yokohama City University, 2019
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MD, Medicine (MD)
Gunma University, 2007
Certifications
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Board Certified Neonatologist
Japan Society for Neonatal Health and Development , 2014
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Board Certified Pediatrician
Japan Pediatric Society , 2011
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Instructor of Neonatal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Japan Society of Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine , 2011
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Provider of Neonatal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Japan Society of Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine , 2009
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Completion of the course of Immediate Cardiac Life Support
Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, 2008
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Completion of the course of Immediate Stroke Life Support
Japanese Association for Acute Medicine, 2008
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Provider of Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support
American Heart Association , 2008
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Provider of Pediatric Advanced Life Support
American Heart Association , 2008
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Provider of Basic Life Support
American Heart Association , 2007
Awards & Honors
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1st Place, Cardiovascular Section Outstanding Postdoctoral Trainee Award
American Physiology Society, 2025
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JCDD Travel Award
Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 2025
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NIH Pathway to Independence Award (R00)
NIH/NHLBI, 2025
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Scientific Research Award
Japan Pediatric Society, 2025
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Elaine W. Raines Early Career Investigator Award (finalist)
American Heart Association, 2024
Teaching Interests
Teaching has been an important part of my academic life. As a board-certified Pediatrician (2011-16), an academic Assistant Professor (2016-19) in Japan, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University (2019-25), and a Tenure-track Assistant Professor at Augusta University (2025 to date), I have had the privilege of teaching a variety of individuals, including students, physicians, and junior scientists.
Scholarship
Selected Recent Publications
- Endothelial HIFα-PDGF-B to smooth muscle Beclin1 signaling sustains pathological muscularization in pulmonary hypertension, 2024
Journal Article, Academic Journal
- Predictive value of serum interleukin-6 for neonatal encephalopathy outcomes, 2024
Journal Article, Academic Journal
- Loss of TGFβ-Mediated Repression of Angiopoietin-2 in Pericytes Underlies Germinal Matrix Hemorrhage Pathogenesis, 2024
Journal Article, Academic Journal
- Presenilin-1 in smooth muscle cells facilitates hypermuscularization in elastin aortopathy, 2024
Journal Article, Academic Journal
- Molecular mechanisms regulating extracellular matrix-mediated remodeling in the ductus arteriosus, 2023
Journal Article, Academic Journal
Research Interests
My research interests stem from my clinical experience in Pediatrics and Neonatology, and have focused on vascular biology. My overarching research questions are i) How do vascular cells respond to surrounding cues during development? and ii) Why does this morphogenesis go awry in vascular diseases? I am eager to leverage my clinical experience and scientific expertise to to provide insights into novel therapeutics for refractory vascular diseases.
