Hoshi Sugiura, LVT
Laboratory and Research Technician
mhsugiura@alaska.edu
Biography
Hoshi is a dedicated and experienced professional with a strong background in biology and veterinary medicine. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Washington. During her undergraduate work, she gained valuable research experience as an intern at Western Fisheries Research Center, where she used zebrafish as a model to study the mechanism of the innate and adaptive immune system. After completing her bachelor's degree, Hoshi began her career in veterinary medicine, working at animal hospitals to gain clinical experience and skills in small animal medicine. She became a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) in the State of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ in 2013.
In 2018, Hoshi transitioned to a career in research and academia, joining the University of ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Fairbanks (ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ) - Institute of Arctic Biology as a Research/Veterinary Technician. In this role, she has contributed to a variety of projects and became a rodent surgeon by training. One of the very unique research experiences here at ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ is that there are researchers who study hibernation using the arctic ground squirrels as the model. With over a decade of experience, her career has spanned both clinical and research environments. She is passionate about mentoring students and witnessing their growth is something she enjoys.
Hoshi joined the ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ Veterinary Medicine Department in 2025, where she provides support to both faculty and students.
Hoshi is originally from Japan, although she has called ÃÛÌÒÓ°Ïñ home for 15 years. When she is not working, she enjoys baking, gardening, fishing, kayaking, curling, and training her dog for agility and scent work.
Select Publications:
Goropashnaya, A. V., Bergua, I. Y., Sugiura, M. H., Rice, S. A., Drew, K. L., Dupont-Versteegden, E. E., & Fedorov, V. B. (2025). Skeletal muscle preservation in arctic ground squirrels during hibernation season. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology, 304, 111847.
Laughlin, B. W., Sugiura, M. H., Jenkins, M., Chen, C. Y., & Drew, K. L. (2024). N6-cyclohexyladenosine is better than meperidine and buspirone at suppressing metabolism during TTM32 but does not improve outcome after cardiac arrest. Experimental neurology, 380, 114891.
Krishnan, J. K. S., Rice, S., Mikes, M., Sugiura, M. H., Drew, K. L., Barati, Z., & Oliver, S. R. (2024). Pre-hibernation diet alters skeletal muscle relaxation kinetics, but not force development in torpid arctic ground squirrels. Journal of comparative physiology. B, Biochemical, systemic, and environmental physiology, 194(1), 65–79.
Zanetti, F., Chen, C. Y., Baker, H. A., Sugiura, M. H., Drew, K. L., & Barati, Z. (2023). Cardiac Rhythms and Variation in Hibernating Arctic Ground Squirrels. Physiological and biochemical zoology : PBZ, 96(3), 167–176.
Drew, K. L., Bhowmick, S., Laughlin, B. W., Goropashnaya, A. V., Tøien, Ø., Sugiura, M. H., Wong, A., Pourrezaei, K., Barati, Z., & Chen, C. Y. (2023). Opportunities and barriers to translating the hibernation phenotype for neurocritical care. Frontiers in neurology, 14, 1009718.