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Yukiko Kitase

Assistant Professor

Yukiko Kitase

Assistant Professor

Academic Appointment(s)

Dental College of Georgia
Department of Oral Biology

Administration
Department of The Graduate School

Bio

Dr. Yukiko Kitase, Assistant Professor of Oral Biology at Augusta University, studies bone biology with a focus on aging- and obesity-related osteoporosis and periodontitis.

  • YKITASE@augusta.edu
  • (706) 721-5198
  • CB2404B

Education

  • Ph.D., Dentistry (DDS, DMD) Tokushima University, 2000

  • BDS, Dentistry (DDS, DMD) Tokushima University, 1996

Certifications

  • Board certification in orthodontics 2002

  • Japanese Dental License 1996

Awards & Honors

  • Indiana CTSI Pilot Funding Award The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (Indiana CTSI) , 2024

  • The ASBMR Mid-Career Faculty Travel Award The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), 2024

  • IU CDMD Pilot and Feasibility Award The Indiana University Center for Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, 2023

  • Indiana CTSI Pilot Funding Award The Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (Indiana CTSI), 2022

  • Showalter Trust Young Investigator Award the Ralph W. and Grace M. Showalter Research Trust Fund , 2017

Courses Taught Most Recent Academic Year

  • OBMP 9210

    Invest of Problem

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests focus on developing effective strategies to help students grasp complex topics related to postnatal growth and craniofacial syndromes and on creating meaningful connections between foundational scientific concepts and their clinical applications.

Scholarship

Selected Recent Publications

  • In Vivo Liver Secretome Tracking Reveals Sexually Dimorphic Regulation of Monocyte Fate and Bone Loss in NAFLD, 2025
    Conference Proceeding
  • Single-Nucleus RNA Sequencing Reveals Sex-Dependent Osteocyte MetabolicResponses That May Contribute to Sexually Dimorphic Skeletal Aging, 2025
    Conference Proceeding
  • Osteocyte differentiation requires glucose metabolism, but mature osteocytes display metabolic flexibility, 2025
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • L-β-aminoisobutyric acid (L-BAIBA) in combination with voluntary wheel running exercise enhances musculoskeletal properties in middle-age male mice, 2025
    Journal Article, Academic Journal
  • Both enantiomers of β-aminoisobutyric acid BAIBA regulate Fgf23 via MRGPRD receptor by activating distinct signaling pathways in osteocytes, 2024
    Journal Article, Academic Journal

Research Interests

I am interested in bone biology, with a particular focus on osteocyte energy metabolism, and the endocrine functions of osteocytes that influence distant organs. My research aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying osteoporosis and periodontitis associated with aging and diet-induced obesity. To address these questions, I utilize genetically modified mouse models, osteocyte cell lines, and advanced transcriptomic approaches such as single-nucleus RNA sequencing. Ultimately, my work seeks to identify novel therapeutic targets for osteoporosis and related comorbidities.