Naoto Fujii is an Associate Professor in the Institute of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Tsukuba. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Tsukuba in 2009. His research centers on exercise physiology with a focus on thermoregulatory mechanisms, including cutaneous vasodilation, sweating responses, and cardiovascular adjustments during exercise and heat stress. Fujii investigates peripheral mechanisms of heat dissipation, the roles of TRP channels and other mediators in skin blood flow, and strategies for heat stroke prevention. He has held postdoctoral positions at the University of Ottawa and the University of Oregon prior to his appointments at the University of Tsukuba, where he advanced from Assistant Professor to his current role.
Fujii has received multiple honors, including the 2020 Best Faculty Member award from the University of Tsukuba, the Experimental Physiology Mid-Career Researcher Prize in 2023, the CANTROL Environmental Systems New Investigator Research Award in 2016, and several young investigator awards from Japanese academic societies. He maintains active membership in organizations such as the American Physiological Society and the Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences. Fujii has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in journals including the American Journal of Physiology, European Journal of Applied Physiology, and Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, along with book contributions on thermoregulation and popular science publications on heat countermeasures and running physiology. His work contributes to understanding human responses to environmental stressors and informs practical applications in sports science and occupational health.