Dr Zoltan Rusznak

I have a Doctor of Medicine (MD), PhD in Medical Sciences (Physiology/Neurobiology), and GCHE qualifications, and I am also Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

I have been engaged with tertiary teaching and research for more than 30 years. Among others, I have taught (Medical) Physiology, Pathophysiology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Neurobiology, and various other units that concern various aspects of medical science. My primary research areas had been the central auditory pathways, signal processing ability of neurons participating in hearing, their calcium homeostasis, and the modulatory mechanisms affecting them. Further, I also published in the domains of melanoma research and cardiac electrophysiology.

I have published nearly 60 research articles. My publications have been cited more than 2,000 times, and I have an h-index of 27.

Besides my teaching and research profile, I have served in various leadership positions. At present I am Head of Discipline (Science) at ACU.

Rusznák, Z., Henskens, W., Schofield, E., Kim, W.S., Fu, Y. (2016), &lsquoAdult neurogenesis and gliogenesis: Possible mechanisms for neurorestoration&rsquo, Experimental Neurobiology, 25(3).

 

Rusznák, Z., Kim, W.S., Hsiao, J-H., Halliday, G.M., Paxinos, G., Fu, Y. (2015), &lsquoEarly in vivo effects of the human mutant amyloid-&beta protein precursor (hA&betaPPSwInd) on the mouse olfactory bulb&rsquo, Journal of Alzheimer&rsquos Disease, 49: 443&ndash457.

 

Fu, Y., Yu, Y., Paxinos, G., Watson, C., Rusznák, Z. (2015), &lsquoAgeing-dependent changes in the cellular composition of the mouse brain and spinal cord&rsquo, Neuroscience, 290: 406&ndash420.

 

Watson, C., Sengul, G., Tanaka, I., Rusznák, Z., Tokuno, H. (2015), &lsquoThe spinal cord of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)&rsquo, Neuroscience Research, 93: 164&ndash175.

 

Nagy, D., Gönczi, M., Dienes, B., Szö?r, Á., Fodor, J., Nagy, Zs., Tóth, A., Fodor, T., Bai, P., Szücs, G., Rusznák, Z., Csernoch, L. (2014), &lsquoSilencing the KCNK9 potassium channel (TASK-3) gene disturbs mitochondrial function, causes mitochondrial depolarization, and induces apoptosis of human melanoma cells&rsquo, Archives of Dermatological Research, 306: 885&ndash992.

 

Fu, Y., Rusznák, Z., Kwok, J., Kim, W.S., Paxinos, G. (2014), &lsquoAge-dependent alterations of the hippocampal cell composition and proliferative potential in the hAPPSwInd-J20 mouse&rsquo, Journal of Alzheimer&rsquos Disease, 41: 1177&ndash1192.

 

Bácskai, T., Rusznák, Z., Paxinos, G., Watson, C. (2014), &lsquoMusculotopic organization of the motor neurons supplying the mouse hindlimb muscles &mdash a quantitative study using Fluoro-Gold retrograde tracing&rsquo, Brain Structure and Function, 219: 303&ndash321.

 

Rusznák, Z., Pál, B., K?szeghy, Á., Fu, Y., Szücs, G., Paxinos, G. (2013), &lsquoThe hyperpolarization-activated non-specific cation current (Ih) adjusts the membrane properties, excitability, and activity pattern of the giant cells in the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, European Journal of Neuroscience, 37: 876&ndash890.

 

Fu, Y., Rusznák, Z., Herculano-Houzel, S., Watson, C., Paxinos, G. (2013), &lsquoCellular composition characterizing postnatal development and maturation of the mouse brain and spinal cord&rsquo, Brain Structure and Function, 218: 1337&ndash1354.

 

Kecskes, Sz., K?szeghy, Á., Szücs, G., Rusznák, Z., Matesz, C., Birinyi, A. (2013), &lsquoThree-dimensional reconstruction and quantitative morphometric analysis of pyramidal and giant neurons of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Brain Structure and Function, 218: 1279&ndash1292.

 

Bácskai, T., Fu, Y., Sengul, G., Rusznák, Z., Paxinos, G., Watson, C. (2013), &lsquoMusculotopic organization of the motor neurons supplying forelimb and shoulder girdle muscles in the mouse&rsquo, Brain Structure and Function, 218: 221&ndash238.

 

Lontay, B., Pál, B., Serf?z?, Z., K?szeghy, Á., Szücs, G., Rusznák, Z., Erd?di, F. (2012), &lsquoProtein phosphatase-1M and Rho-kinase affect exocytosis from cortical synaptosomes and influence neurotransmission at a glutamatergic giant synapse of the rat auditory system&rsquo, Journal of Neurochemistry, 123: 84&ndash99.

 

K?szeghy, Á., Vincze, J., Rusznák, Z., Fu, Y., Paxinos, G., Csernoch, L., Szücs, G. (2012), &lsquoActivation of muscarinic receptors increases the activity of the granule neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus &mdash a calcium imaging study&rsquo, Pflügers Archiv, 463: 829&ndash844.

 

Fu, Y., Yuan, Y., Halliday, G., Rusznák, Z., Watson, C., Paxinos, G. (2011), &lsquoA cytoarchitectonic and chemoarchitectonic analysis of the dopamine cell groups in the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and retrorubral field in the mouse&rsquo, Brain Structure and Function, 217: 591&ndash612.

 

Kosztka, L., Rusznák, Z., Nagy, D., Nagy, Zs., Fodor, J., Szücs, G., Telek, A., Gönczi, M., Ruzsnavszky, O., Szentandrássy, N., Csernoch, L. (2011), &lsquoInhibition of TASK-3 (KCNK9) channel biosynthesis changes cell morphology and decreases both DNA content and mitochondrial function of melanoma cells maintained in cell culture&rsquo, Melanoma Research, 21: 308&ndash322.

 

Nagy, D., Kosztka, L., Pap, P., Nagy, Zs., Rusznák, Z., Csernoch, L., Szücs, G. (2011), &lsquoCytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration changes evoked by muscarinic cholinergic stimulation in primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines&rsquo, Melanoma Research, 21: 12&ndash23.

 

Szabó, L., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G., Asztalos, L., Pál, B. (2010), &lsquoEffect of tacrolimus on the excitatory synaptic transmission between the parallel fibres and pyramidal cells in the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Transplantation Proceedings, 42: 2339&ndash2343.

 

K?szeghy, Á., Pál, B., Pap, P., Pocsai, K., Nagy, Zs., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2009), &lsquoPurkinje-like cells of the rat cochlear nucleus: a combined functional and morphological study&rsquo, Brain Research, 1297: 57&ndash69.

 

Pál, B., K?szeghy, Á., Pap, P., Bakondi, G., Pocsai, K., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2009), &lsquoTargets, receptors and effects of muscarinic neuromodulation on giant neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, European Journal of Neuroscience, 30: 769&ndash782.

 

Pap, P., K?szeghy, Á., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2009), &lsquoCytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration changes evoked by cholinergic stimulation in primary astrocyte cultures prepared from the rat cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Hearing Research, 255: 73&ndash83.

 

Bakondi, G., Pór, Á., Kovács, I., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2009), &lsquoHCN subunit expression pattern of guinea pig spiral ganglion cells&rsquo, Neuroscience, 158: 1469&ndash1477.

 

Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G. (2009), &lsquoSpiral ganglion neurones: an overview of morphology, firing behaviour, ionic channels and function&rsquo, Pflügers Archiv, 457: 1303&ndash1325.

 

Bakondi, G., Pór, Á., Kovács, I., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2008), &lsquoVoltage-gated K+ channel (Kv) subunit expression of the guinea pig spiral ganglion cells studied in a newly developed cochlear free-floating preparation&rsquo, Brain Research, 1210: 148&ndash162.

 

Rusznák, Z., Bakondi, G., Pocsai, K., Pór, Á., Kosztka, L., Pál, B., Nagy, D., Sz?cs, G. (2008), &lsquoVoltage-gated potassium channel (Kv) subunits expressed in the rat cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, 56: 443&ndash465.

 

Rusznák, Z., Bakondi, G., Kosztka, L., Pocsai, K., Dienes, B., Fodor, J., Telek, A., Gönczi, M., Sz?cs, G., Csernoch, L. (2008), &lsquoMitochondrial expression of the two-pore domain TASK-3 channels in malignantly transformed and non-malignant human cells&rsquo, Virchows Archiv, 452: 415&ndash426.

 

Pocsai, K., Pál, B., Pap, P., Bakondi, G., Kosztka, L., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G. (2007), &lsquoRhodamine backfilling and confocal microscopy as a tool for the unambiguous identification of neuronal cell types: a study of the neurones of the rat cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Brain Research Bulletin, 71: 529&ndash538.

 

Pocsai, K., Kosztka, L., Bakondi, G., Gönczi, M., Fodor, J., Dienes, B., Szentesi, P., Kovács, I., Feninger-Barish, R., Kopf, E., Zharhary, D., Sz?cs, G., Csernoch, L., Rusznák, Z. (2006), &lsquoMelanoma cells exhibit strong intracellular TASK-3-specific immunopositivity in both tissue sections and cell culture&rsquo, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 63: 2364&ndash2376.

 

Szappanos, H., Szigeti, Gy., Pál, B., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G., Rajnavölgyi, É., Balla, J., Balla, Gy., Nagy, E., Leiter, É., Pócsi, I., Hagen, S., Meyer, V., Csernoch, L. (2006), &lsquoThe antifungal protein AFP secreted by Aspergillus giganteus does not cause detrimental effects on certain mammalian cells&rsquo, Peptides, 27: 1717&ndash1725.

 

Csernoch, L., Rusznák, Z. (2006), &lsquoThe changing shape of teaching physiology: problems and prospects. A remark to Prof. Arif Siddiqui&rsquos assay&rsquo, Acta Physiologica Hungarica, 93: 97&ndash98.

 

Kecskeméti, V., Rusznák, Z., Riba, P., Pál, B., Wagner, R., Harasztosi, Cs., Nánási, P., Sz?cs, G. (2005), &lsquoNorfluoxetine and fluoxetine have equal anticonvulsive and Ca2+ channel blocking potencies&rsquo, Brain Research Bulletin, 67: 126&ndash132.

 

Pór, Á., Pocsai, K., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs,G. (2005), &lsquoPresence and distribution of three calcium binding proteins in projection neurones of the adult rat cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Brain Research, 1039: 63&ndash74.

 

Kovács, I., Pocsai, K., Czifra, G., Sarkadi, L., Sz?cs, G., Nemes, Z., Rusznák, Z. (2005), &lsquoTASK-3 immunoreactivity shows differential distribution in the human gastrointestinal tract&rsquo, Virchows Archiv, 446: 402&ndash410.

 

Szappanos, H., Szigeti, Gy., Pál, B., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G., Rajnavölgyi, É., Balla, J., Balla, Gy., Nagy, E., Leiter, É., Pócsi, I., Marx, F., Csernoch, L. (2005), &lsquoThe Penicillium chrysogenum derived antifungal peptide shows no toxic effects on mammalian cells in the intended therapeutic concentration&rsquo, N.-S. Archives of Pharmacology, 374: 122&ndash132.

 

Pál, B., Pór, Á., Pocsai, K., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2005), &lsquoVoltage-gated and background K+ channel subunits expressed by the bushy cells of the rat cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Hearing Research, 199: 57&ndash70.

 

Pál, B., Rusznák, Z., Harasztosi, Cs., Sz?cs, G. (2004), &lsquoDepolarisation-activated K+ currents of the bushy neurones of the rat cochlear nucleus in a thin brain slice preparation&rsquo, Acta Physiologica Hungarica, 91: 83&ndash98.

 

Rusznák, Z., Pocsai, K., Kovács, I., Pór, Á., Pál, B., Bíró, T., Sz?cs, G. (2004), &lsquoDifferential distribution of TASK-1, TASK-2 and TASK-3 immunoreactivities in the rat and human cerebellum&rsquo, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 61: 1532&ndash1542.

 

Pór, Á., Harasztosi, Cs., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G. (2004), &lsquoGlutamate-induced cytoplasmic Ca2+ transients in neurones isolated from the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, General Physiology and Biophysics, 23: 3&ndash20.

 

Szabó, Zs., Harasztosi, Cs., Kovács, I., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z., Sziklai, I. (2003), &lsquoTengerimalacból izolált I. típusú ganglion spirale neuron depolarizációja által aktivált K+ áramok jellemzése&rsquo, Fül-, Orr-, Gégegyógyászat (Otorhinolaryngologia Hungarica), 49: 114&ndash123 (in Hungarian).

 

Pál, B., Pór, Á., Sz?cs, G., Kovács, I., Rusznák, Z. (2003), &lsquoHCN channels contribute to the intrinsic activity of cochlear pyramidal cells&rsquo, Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 60: 2189&ndash2199.

 

Dodson, P.D., Billups, B., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G., Barker, M.C., Forsythe, I.D. (2003), &lsquoPresynaptic Kv1.2 channels suppress synaptic terminal hyperexcitability following action potential invasion&rsquo, The Journal of Physiology, 550: 27&ndash33.

 

Magyar, J., Rusznák, Z., Harasztosi, Cs., Körtvély, Á., Pacher, P., Bányászt, T., Pankucsi, Cs., Kovács, L., Sz?cs, G., Nánási, P., Kecskeméti, V. (2003), &lsquoDifferential effects of R(-) and S(+) enantiomers of fluoxetine in mammalian neural and cardiac tissues&rsquo, International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 11: 535&ndash542.

 

Szabó, Zs., Harasztosi, Cs., Sz?cs, G., Sziklai, I., Rusznák, Z. (2003), &lsquoA detailed procedure and dissection guide for the isolation of spiral ganglion cells of the guinea pig for electrophysiological experiments&rsquo, Brain Research Protocols, 10: 139&ndash147.

 

Szabó, Zs., Harasztosi, Cs., Sziklai, I., Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2002), &lsquoIonic currents determining the membrane characteristics of type I spiral ganglion neurons of the guinea pig&rsquo, European Journal of Neuroscience, 16: 1887&ndash1895.

 

Sz?cs, G., Rusznák, Z. (2002), &lsquoCellular regulatory mechanisms influencing the activity of the cochlear nucleus: a review&rsquo, Acta Physiologica Hungarica, 89: 375&ndash414.

 

Harasztosi, Cs., Pór, Á., Rusznák, Z., Kovács, L., Sz?cs, G. (2002), &lsquoRemoval of Ca2+ following depolarisation-evoked cytoplasmic Ca2+ transients in freshly dissociated pyramidal neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Brain Research, 930: 123&ndash133.

 

Harasztosi, Cs., Rusznák, Z., Kovács, L., Sz?cs, G. (2001), &lsquoEffects of divalent cations on voltage-gated Ca2+ channels of freshly isolated pyramidal cells of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, General Physiology and Biophysics, 20: 349&ndash360.

 

Rusznák, Z., Harasztosi, Cs., Stanfield, P.R., Sz?cs, G. (2001), &lsquoAn improved cell isolation technique for studying intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in neurones of the cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Brain Research Protocols, 7: 68&ndash75.

 

Cuttle, M.F., Rusznák, Z., Wong, Y.C., Ownes, S., Forsythe I.D. (2001), Modulation of a presynaptic hyperpolarization-activated cationic current (Ih) at an excitatory synaptic terminal in the rat auditory brainstem&rsquo, The Journal of Physiology, 534: 733&ndash744.

 

Rusznák, Z., Harasztosi, Cs., Stanfield, P.R., Kovács, L., Sz?cs, G. (2000), &lsquoPotassium depolarization-induced cytoplasmic [Ca2+]i transients in freshly dissociated pyramidal neurones of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Pflügers Archiv, 440: 462&ndash466.

 

Harasztosi, Cs., Forsythe, I.D., Sz?cs, G., Stanfield, P.R., Rusznák, Z. (1999), &lsquoPossible modulatory role of voltage-gated Ca2+ currents determining the membrane properties of isolated pyramidal neurons of the rat dorsal cochlear nucleus&rsquo, Brain Research, 839: 109&ndash119.

 

Doughty, JM., Barnes-Davies, M., Rusznák, Z., Harasztosi, Cs., Forsythe, ID. (1998), &lsquoContrasting Ca2+ channel subtypes at cell bodies and synaptic terminals of rat anterio-ventral cochlear bushy neurones&rsquo, The Journal of Physiology, 512: 365&ndash376.

 

Szigeti, Gy., Rusznák, Z., Kovács, L., Papp, Z. (1998), &lsquo[Ca2+]i-activated transient membrane currents are carried mainly by Cl- in isolated atrial, ventricular and Purkinje cells of rabbit heart&rsquo, Experimental Physiology, 83: 137&ndash153.

 

Rusznák, Z., Forsythe, ID., Brew, HM., Stanfield, PR. (1997), &lsquoMembrane currents influencing action potential latency in granule neurones of the rat cochlear nucleus&rsquo, European Journal of Neuroscience, 9: 2348&ndash2358.

 

Rusznák, Z., Cseresnyés, Z., Sipos, I., Magyar, J., Kovács, L., Sz?cs, G. (1996), &lsquoCharacteristics of the ventricular transient outward potassium current in genetic rodent model of diabetes&rsquo, General Physiology and Biophysics, 15: 225&ndash238.

 

Cseresnyés, Z., Rusznák, Z., Bozsányi, A., Sz?cs, G., Kovács, L. (1995), &lsquoThree different gating models for inactivation of the Ito in ventricular myocytes of rats and mice&rsquo, General Physiology and Biophysics, 14: 259&ndash276.

 

Magyar, J., Cseresnyés, Z., Sipos, I., Rusznák, Z., Sz?cs, G., Kovács, L. (1995), &lsquoEffects of insulin on the potassium currents of rat ventricular myocytes in streptozotocin-diabetes&rsquo, General Physiology and Biophysics, 14: 191&ndash201.

 

Magyar, J., Rusznák, Z., Szentesi, P., Sz?cs, G., Kovács, L (1992), &lsquoAction potentials and potassium currents in rat ventricular muscle during experimental diabetes&rsquo, Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology, 24: 841&ndash853.

I have more than 30 years of tertiary and postgraduate teaching experience. I have taught Physiology and Neurobiology for Medical, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Molecular Biology (BSc and MSc) students. I have developed course curricula, authored teaching materials, and organised courses. I have mentored PhD students, examined PhD candidates, and assessed PhD theses.

 

I have had a number of education-related functions currently I serve as Head of Discipline (Science) at ACU.

 

Besides being an experienced university lecturer, I am an established scientist with a career total of 59 articles published in peer-reviewed international journals. I have published mostly in the domains of neuroscience, melanoma research, and cardiac physiology. I am currently serving as one of the associate editors of Frontiers in Neuroscience.