Bio

Dr. Sakamoto received her B.S. in Zoology from Duke University, her M.L.S in Fish Physiology from NC State, her DVM from NC State (class of 1999), her anatomic pathology residency and MS from Purdue University, and PhD from Cornell University. She spent the first 15 years of her career at the University of Georgia, where she served as Director of the college-wide graduate program, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, as well as Interim Department Head of Pathology, and returned to NC State as a Professor and Department Head.

Her research background is in tuberculosis immunology, particularly at the level of the mycobacterial-macrophage interaction. As a pathologist with expertise in respiratory infectious diseases, she has collaborated with over 40 researchers, providing histopathologic analysis for their animal studies. Her basic and collaborative research have been supported by the NIH, NIEHS, NSF, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the CDC, the American Lung Association, and the American Heartworm Association. She has generated more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters.

Dr. Sakamoto is passionate about developing people and programs, with particular emphasis and expertise in mentoring, communication, professional development, and well-being. She is teaching immunology, bacteriology, and professional skills in the veterinary curriculum.

Affiliations

President, Association of Asian Veterinary Medical Professionals

Area(s) of Expertise

Pathology of respiratory infections
Respiratory pathology
Endocrine pathology
Innate immunity

Publications

• Wastewater as a Sentinel for Interstate Clonal Expansion: A One Health Genomic Study of Emerging ST167 and ST131 E. coli in the United States , Research Square (2026)
• In vitro molting of Dirofilaria immitis third-stage larvae derived from microfilariae collected from doxycycline-treated dogs , Parasitology Research (2025)
• Real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry detection of Wolbachia in adult Dirofilaria immitis from dogs treated with doxycycline and ivermectin , Parasites & Vectors (2025)
• Role of Atypical MAPK p38 Signaling in the Progression of Influenza A‐Induced Acute Lung Injury , The FASEB Journal (2025)
• SARS-CoV-2 causes chronic lung inflammation and impaired respiratory capacity in aged Roborovski dwarf hamsters , Journal of Virology (2025)
• SARS-CoV-2 causes chronic lung inflammation and impaired respiratory capacity in aged Roborovski dwarf hamsters , bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (2025)
• Intestinal microbiota programming of alveolar macrophages influences severity of respiratory viral infection , Cell Host & Microbe (2024)
• Therapeutic mitigation of measles-like immune amnesia and exacerbated disease after prior respiratory virus infections in ferrets , Nature Communications (2024)
• 4’-Fluorouridine mitigates lethal infection with pandemic human and highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses , PLoS Pathogens (2023)
• Dual oxidase 1 is dispensable during Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in mice , Frontiers in Immunology (2023)