Kristen Metzler-Wilson is an associate professor of physical therapy. She earned a bachelor of arts in natural science with a minor in music at Goshen College and a master of science in physical therapy from Texas Woman’s University.

After practicing as an inpatient hospital physical therapist for several years, she returned to academia and earned a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Thomas Jefferson University. Since then, Dr. Metzler-Wilson has served on the faculty in doctor of physical therapy and doctor of osteopathic medicine programs.

Educational Focus

Dr. Metzler-Wilson’s teaching interests include integrating foundational sciences such as pharmacology, neuroscience, and pathophysiology into clinical practice.

Research/Scholarship

Dr. Metzler-Wilson’s research interests relate to the autonomic nervous system and peripheral neuropharmacology. Her dissertation focused on interactions between voltage-gated calcium channels and calcium binding proteins. She obtained additional translational research training at the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute where she worked on transdermal drug delivery, functional effects of local anesthesia, and agonist dose-response relations in the skin. She now combines her bench science work with human-based studies in her peripheral neuropharmacology investigations.

Publications

• Wilson TE & Metzler-Wilson K. Physiological adaptation/phenotypic plasticity: a vital core concept from the medical and health care perspective. Adv Physiol Educ. Mar 1;48(1):112-113. 2024.
• Metzler-Wilson K,^ Fang MM^, Alibegovic K, Daggett JW, Narra SC, Dazé RP, Miller OG, & Wilson TE. Effect of reflex and mechanical decreases in skin perfusion on thermal- and agonist-induced eccrine sweating in humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 324(3):R271-R280, Mar 1 2023. (^: share first authorship)
• Metzler-Wilson K, Wilson TE, Ausmus SM, & Sventeckis AM. Effect of sensory blockade and rate of sensory stimulation on local heating induced axon reflex response in facial skin. Auton Neurosci, Jul;233:102809, 2021.
• Wilson TE, Narra S, Metzler-Wilson K, Schneider A, Bullens K, & Holt IS. Role of bradykinin type 2 receptors in human sweat secretion: translational evidence does not support a functional relationship. Skin Pharm Physiol, 34(3):162-166, 2021.
• Metzler-Wilson K, Vrable A, Schaub A, Schmale TK, Rodimel BV, Krause BA, & Wilson TE.  Effect of suboccipital release on pain perception and autonomic reflex responses to ischemic and cold pain. Pain Med, 21(11):3024-33, 2020.
• Wilson TE & Metzler-Wilson K. Autonomic thermoregulation. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, Oxford University Press, 2018.
• Hutchinson D, Hines S, Vijayaraghavan N, Sammond A, Metzler-Wilson K, & Kuchera ML. Interexaminer reliability study of a standardized myofascial protocol for diagnosis of the superior thoracic inlet. J Bodyw Mov Ther, 21(3):658-63, 2017.
• Metzler-Wilson K & Wilson TE. Impact of calcium regulation on eccrine sweating and sweating disorders: the view from cells to glands to intact human skin. Exp Physiol, 101(3):345-6, 2016.
• Metzler-Wilson K^, Toma K^, Sammons DL, Mann S, Jurovcik AJ, Demidova O, & Wilson TE. Augmented supraorbital skin sympathetic nerve activity responses to symptom trigger events in rosacea patients. J Neurophysiol, 114(3):1530-7, 2015. (^: share first authorship)
• Gray B, Metzler-Wilson K, Dawes KW, & Wilson TE. A neural link to understanding rosacea: Focusing on flushing triggers. J Am Osteo Col Dermatol, 33:11-16, 2015.
• Wilson TE & Metzler-Wilson K. Sweating chloride bullets: Understanding the role of calcium in eccrine sweat glands and possible implications for hyperhidrosis. Exp Dermatol, 24(3):177-178, 2015.
• Metzler-Wilson K, Sammons DL, Ossim MA, Metzger NR, Jurovcik AJ, Krause BA, & Wilson TE. Extracellular calcium chelation and attenuation of calcium entry decrease in vivo cholinergic-induced eccrine sweating sensitivity in humans. Exp Physiol, 99(2):393-402, 2014.
• Metzler-Wilson K & Wilson TE. Topical anesthesia does not affect cutaneous vasomotor or sudomotor responses in human skin. Auton Autacoid Pharmacol. 33(3-4):25-33, 2013.
• Metzler-Wilson K, Kellie L, Tomc C, Simpson C, Sammons D, & Wilson TE. Differential vasodilatory responses to local heating in facial, glabrous and hairy skin. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging, 32(5):361-6, 2012.
• Toma K, Walkowski S, Metzler-Wilson K, & Wilson TE. Acupuncture attenuates exercise-induced increases in skin sympathetic nerve activity. Auton Neurosci, 162(1-2): 84-8, 2011.