Ken Kunisaki, MD

kunis001@umn.edu

Dr. Kunisaki completed his undergraduate training at the University of California at Davis, majoring in Physiology with a minor in Japanese. He went on to receive his M.D. degree from The Ohio State University in 1999, followed by residency training in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. He pursued further training in Adult Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Minnesota, including coursework towards a M.S. in Clinical Research from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

Dr. Kunisaki is now a junior faculty member in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care at the University of Minnesota, with a joint appointment through the University and the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. He is currently supported through an NIH K12 grant.  His K12 grant mentors include Dr. Dennis Niewoehner (Professor and Chief of Pulmonary Medicine at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center), Dr. John Connett (Professor and Division Head of Biostatistics at the University of Minnesota) and Dr. Allen Levine (Professor and Dean of the College of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota).& Dr. Kunisaki’s research interests are in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD. He is currently investigating the relationships between micronutrients (vitamins and trace elements) and exacerbations of COPD.

Current and Recent Grant Support:
2007 – 2010    NIH 5 K12 RR023247-02
“A multidisciplinary scholar development program to advance clinical research” Role: Clinical research scholar

2005 – 2007    NIH/NHLBI 2 T32 HL07741
“Training in Lung Science"
Role: Postdoctoral fellow

 2005 – 2006    The CHEST Foundation of the American College of Chest Physicians
“COPD Clinical Research Trainee Award”
Role: Principal Investigator

 2005 – 2006    American Lung Association of Minnesota
“Research Training Fellowship Award”
Role: Principal Investigator
Note: Declined in favor of NIH T32 Grant

 2005 – 2006    Contract with GlaxoSmithKline
“Serum and Exhaled Markers of Inflammation in COPD: Predictors of Inhaled Corticosteroid Response?”
Role: Co-principal Investigator

Recent Honors

2007      Zieve Award for Outstanding Research, Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Recent Publications:

Kunisaki KM, Rice KL, Niewoehner DE.  Management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly: an appraisal of published evidence.  Drugs Aging  2007;24(4):303-324.

Kunisaki KM, Rice KL, Niewoehner DE.  Exhaled nitric oxide, systemic inflammation, and inhaled corticosteroid responses in COPD. [abstract] Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2007;175:A630.

Rice KL, Kunisaki KM, Niewoehner DE.  Role of tiotropium in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2007;2(2):95-105.

Kunisaki M, Rice KL, Janoff EN, Rector TS, Niewoehner DE. Exhaled nitric oxide, systemic inflammation, and the spirometric response to inhaled fluticasone propionate in severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective study.  Ther Adv Respir Dis 2008; 2:55-64.

Last updated 6/12/2008