Dr Ruslan Pustovit
PhD

Dr Ruslan Pustovit completed a PhD in Veterinary Surgery (2006) at the Odesa State Agrarian University (Ukraine) examining the difference in surgical treatments of bone fractures in dogs. He spent more than 10 years in private veterinary surgical practice and lecturing the Veterinary Surgery in Ukraine.

From 2013–2023, Dr Pustovit’s research with Professor John Furness focused on neural pathways that control bowel function. Ruslan made the striking discovery that defecation is dependent on ghrelin receptors, but not ghrelin (PMID:28801520). Dr Pustovit’s major contribution to the gastrointestinal neurobiology field is demonstrated by a prominent review article about central and peripheral components of defecation control pathways and changes in the function of these pathways after spinal cord injury published in Spinal Cord (PMID:29142293).

From 2023 onwards, Dr Pustovit was recruited to The Florey’s Translational Cardiovascular and Renal Research Group, Systems Neuroscience Theme led by Associate Professor Yugeesh Lankadeva. Dr Pustovit’s current research includes:

• Understanding the impact of seizures on cardiac sympathetic nerve activity and heart dysfunction. His aim is to develop new therapies to mitigate sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). This collaborative research program across The Florey’s Epilepsy Mission and Systems Neuroscience Theme is supported by a MRFF grant [2022–2025].
• Elucidating the mechanisms by which a Florey patented therapy, sodium ascorbate, reverses brain, cardiovascular and kidney dysfunction in severe infections (sepsis). His aim is to provide the mechanistic-evidence base to inform the design of Phase Ib and Phase II clinical trials across mainland Australia. This collaborative research program across Florey’s Systems Neuroscience Theme, Dementia Mission, Doherty Institute, WEHI, Monash University, Peter Mac, and research-intensive public hospitals across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory is supported by a MRFF grant [2023–2028].

At an institutional level, Dr Pustovit serves as a Florey’s Animal Ethics Committee member by contributing his expertise in veterinary medicine to ensure the research undertaken meets international best practice standards.