Department of Urology

Naoki Yoshimura, MD, PhD

  • Professor of Urology, Pharmacology, and Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh
  • Director of Neuro-urological Research

Dr. Naoki Yoshimura, M.D., Ph.D. is Professor and UPMC Endowed Chair of Neurourological Research in the Department of Urology. Dr. Yoshimura’s research interests include understanding the mechanism inducing hyperexcitability of visceral afferent pathways innevating the lower urinary tract in relation with pathophysiological conditions such as spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, inflammation, and diabetes mellitus, and identifying the role of neurotrophic factors in controlling the activity of visceral afferent neurons. Dr. Yoshimura serves on the Board of Directors of the Comfortable Urology Network, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Appeals Committee, and as a Research Officer for the International Neuro-Urology Society. Dr. Yoshimura is a published author of more than 300 articles, abstracts, and book chapters, teaches several courses in the School of Medicine, and mentors a number of students, residents, and research fellows each year. Dr. Yoshimura is also Principal Investigator on several sponsored research projects, and holds a number of patents in his field. He serves as an Editorial Board member for the Journal of the Japanese Continence Society, the Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), the International Urology and Nephrology, and the International Journal of Urology.