John D. Akins
- Assistant Professor
Department of Kinesiology
Biography
Dr. Akins received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Austin. He then received his Ph.D. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative and Applied Physiology at the University of Texas at Arlington. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Akins completed his postdoctoral fellowship focused on autonomic-cardiovascular regulation of blood pressure and women’s health at the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine, a joint venture between the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. At UGA, Dr. Akins directs the Applied and Translational Health through Neuro-Cardiovascular Approaches (ATHENA) Lab. He also teaches in the Exercise and Sports Science curriculum in the Department of Kinesiology.
Areas of Expertise
- Integrative Physiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Physiology
Interests
- Exercise Physiology
- Cardiovascular Function
- Autonomic Function
- Blood Pressure Regulation
- Women's Health
- Aging
Concentrations
Education
- B.S. in Kinesiology and Health, 2015
University of Texas at Austin - M.S. in Kinesiology and Health, 2017
University of Texas at Austin - Ph.D. in Kinesiology, 2021
University of Texas at Arlington - Postdoctoral Fellowship in Autonomic Physiology; Women's Health, 2026
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Contact
Research Summary
Broadly, my interests lie in understanding how the nervous and cardiovascular systems interact and help regulate blood pressure and how worsened function can contribute to cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, I am interested in women’s health across the lifespan to better understand how changing neural-cardiovascular function contributes to disparate rates of cardiovascular disease and hypertension during key windows in the female lifespan.