Brief Biography

Robert Jankov obtained his MB, BS at the University of Melbourne, Australia and completed his residency training in paediatrics at the Royal Children’s Hospital, also in Melbourne. He subsequently completed a Clinical Fellowship in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine at the University of Toronto from1996 to 1999, which was followed by a PhD from 2001 to 2004 in the Department of Physiology, University of Toronto. Jankov's research interests include the cellular and molecular mechanisms of vascular remodeling, right-ventricular dysfunction and nitric oxide unresponsiveness in pulmonary hypertension during early life. The overall goal of his research is to help develop new therapies, which might allow for improvements in quality of life and survival. Specific mechanisms under study in both the lung and heart include the roles of inflammatory cells, free radicals, NO metabolites and growth factors, using both in vitro and in vivo models. Promising therapies currently under evaluation include targeted antioxidants, Rho-kinase inhibitors, sustained hypercapnia and inhibitors of smooth muscle growth factor signaling.  

Research Interests

• Pathobiology of Neonatal Pulmonary Hypertension
• Free Radicals and Nitric Oxide in Pulmonary Vascular and Cardiac Injury
• Pulmonary Inflammation
• Vascular Smooth Muscle Biology

External Funding

• CIHR
  Preclinical assessment of Rho-kinase inhibitors for chronic pulmonary hypertension
• CIHR
  Hypercapnia as therapy for neonatal pulmonary hypertension

Achievements

• CIHR New Investigator (2008-2013)
• Career Development Award, Canadian Child Health Clinician-Scientist Program (2004-2008)
• CIHR/Canadian Lung Association Postdoctoral Fellowship (2001-2004)

Publications

See current publications list at PubMed.                                                                                                                                                                            

Xu EZ, Kantores C, Ivanovska J, Engelberts D, Kavanagh BP, McNamara PJ, Jankov RP: Rescue treatment with a Rho-kinase inhibitor normalizes right-ventricular function and reverses remodeling in juvenile rats with chronic pulmonary hypertension.  American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology 2010; 299:H1854-H1864.   

Jankov RP, Lewis P, Kantores C, Ivanovska J, Xu EZ, Van Vliet T, Lee AH, Tanswell AK, McNamara PJ: Peroxynitrite mediates right-ventricular dysfunction in nitric oxide-exposed juvenile rats.  Free Radical Biology & Medicine 2010; 49:1453-1467.                       

Belik J, Stevens D, Pan J, McIntyre BAS, Kantores C, Ivanovska J, Xu EZ, Ibrahim C, Panama BK, Backx PH, McNamara PJ, Jankov RP: Pulmonary vascular and cardiac effects of peroxynitrite decomposition in newborn rats.  Free Radical Biology & Medicine 2010; 49:1306-1314.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Ziino AJA, Ivanovska J, Belcastro R, Kantores C, Xu EZ, McNamara PJ, Tanswell AK, Jankov RP: Effects of Rho-kinase inhibition on pulmonary hypertension, growth and abnormal lung structure in neonatal rats chronically exposed to hypoxia.  Pediatric Research 2010; 67:177-182.                                                                                                                                                                  

Belik J, Stevens D, Pan J, Shehnaz D, Ibrahim C, Kantores C, Ivanovska J, Grasemann H, Jankov RP: Chronic hypercapnia down-regulates arginase expression and activity and increases pulmonary arterial smooth muscle relaxation in the newborn rat.  American Journal of Physiology: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 2009; 297:L777-L784.                                                    

Jankov RP, Kantores C, Pan J, Belik J: Contribution of xanthine oxidase-derived superoxide to chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in neonatal rats.  American Journal of Physiology: Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology 2008; 294:L233-L245.  

Jankov RP, Tanswell AK: Hypercapnia and the neonate.  Acta Paediatrica 2008; 97:1502-1509.