The Department of Pathological Physiology at Vinnytsia Medical Institute named after M. I. Pirogov was established in 1936. Its first head was Mykhailo Mykhailovych Smyk, MD, who later, as a doctor of medical sciences, also organized the Department of Pathological Physiology at the Ivano-Frankivsk Medical Academy (1948) and Lugansk Medical University (1957).

From 1944 to 1974 The department was headed by MD, Professor Yakov Meerovich Britvan. Being a well-known scientist and highly educated teacher at that time, he managed to attract talented assistants and young people and ensure the teaching of the subject at the level of the requirements of the time. Since 1950, the department has been conducting intensive research work aimed at developing the problem of central nervous mechanisms of regulation of external respiration and circulatory systems against the background of various pathological processes. At that time, a number of patterns in the reactions of these systems to different types of hypoxia have been studied and described, taking into account the onto- and phylogenetic aspects. Particular attention was paid to the study of the role of the initial functional state of the central nervous system in the mechanisms of dysfunction of the external respiratory and circulatory systems. International recognition of the achievements of Y. M. Britvan in the study of the pathophysiology of external respiration was manifested in the awarding of his honorary medal named after Jana Purkinje. Professor Britvan Y. M. was a member of the editorial board of the multivolume “Guide to Pathological Physiology”. He wrote two chapters in this edition: “Pathological Physiology of External Respiration” and “Periodic Respiration”. Y. M. Britvan headed the department until 1974.

Since 1974, the department has been headed by a student of Professor Y. M. Britvan, MD, Professor Mykola Anatoliyovych Vievsky. With the beginning of his work, the scientific interests of the staff of the department were refocused on the study of non-infectious allergies and a comprehensive experimental study of the effects on the body of the most common pesticides used in agricultural production. During these years the immunological laboratory equipped with the necessary equipment and reagents was created. Immunological, biochemical, hematological and other methods were widely used to provide scientific research. This work was carried out in close cooperation with other departments of the institute and was coordinated by the main research center on pesticides – the All-Union Research Institute of Occupational Health and Toxicology of Pesticides. In 1986, at the request of the Ministry of Energy, employees of the departments of pathological physiology began a clinical and experimental study of the mechanisms of biological action on the body of electromagnetic fields of industrial frequency. To experimentally study this problem, a special laboratory of high voltages was created on the basis of the Department of Pathological Physiology where conditions similar to being at the potential of high-voltage power lines were simulated.

From 1995 to 2000 the duties of the head of the department were performed by Vasyl Gryhorovych Lychko, PhD. V. G. Lychko paid great attention to the problem of definitions of “health” and “disease”, in this aspect a number of works have been published. Author of more than 50 published scientific works, he devoted a lot of time to the activities of the student scientific circle of the department. From 2000 to 2009 the duties of the head of the department were performed by P.D., Assoc. Slobodianyuk Tetyana Mykolayivna.

Since 2009 the department has been headed by Nadiya Anatoliyivna Rykalo, Doctor of Medical Sciences. From the 2nd year to the end of the university N. A. Rykalo under the guidance of Assoc. Lychka V. G. worked in the student scientific circle of the Department of Pathophysiology. Nadiya Anatoliivna is the author of more than 120 publications, 8 patents, 3 innovations in the health care system, the winner of the competition of the Vinnytsia Regional State Administration and the Regional Council “Young Man of the Year 2010” in the nomination “Young Scientist of the Year”. Head of the Department, Doctor of Medicine Rykalo N. A. prepares dissertations, has initiated and heads the research work of the department which focuses on the age-specific pathogenesis of acute and chronic pathology of internal organs, in particular toxic hepatitis. Rykalo N. A., focused on the study of age features of compensatory-adaptive reactions, reactivity, mechanisms of reparative regeneration of organs and tissues during their damage. To this end, the staff of the Department of Pathophysiology in the experiment by flow cytometry studied changes in the cell cycle, ploidy set and DNA fragmentation in the cell nuclei of internal organs of experimental animals of different ages on the background of the introduction of carbon tetrachloride, alcohol, hepato- damage and regeneration. The age features of the cytokine profile of blood serum, as well as indicators of specific and nonspecific reactivity of the organism, in experimental toxic lesions of the liver, myocardium and kidneys are also studied to determine its role in the mechanisms of damage and disease progression.

On September 23-25, 2014, under the leadership of prof. Rykalo N. A. the VI Plenum of the Scientific Society of Pathophysiologists of Ukraine and a scientific-practical conference with the participation of international specialists “Topical Issues of Experimental and Clinical Pathophysiology” were organized and held by the staff of the department. According to the program of the plenum, meetings were held on the topics “Molecular-genetic Aspects of Pathophysiology” and “Inflammation: Mechanisms of Development”. 45 oral and 52 poster presentations were carried out at the plenary session.

Since 2016 The department has launched a new research on the topic “The Influence of Humoral Factors on the Mechanisms of Pathological Processes in the Liver Caused by Exogenous and Endogenous Factors and their Correction”. Under the leadership of prof. Rykalo N. A. assistant Beregovenko Yuliya Mykhailivna, research topic “Mechanisms of Damage and Regeneration of Rat Liver and Kidney Tissue in Conditions of Chronic Toxic Lesions with Tetrachloroethane and Ethanol, Ways of Correction” and assistant Romanenko Iryna Volodymyrivna, research topic “Mechanisms of Damage and Regeneration of Tissues of the Liver, Kidneys, Pancreas and Myocardium of Rats in Acute Alcoholism, Ways of Drug Correction” work at carrying out the academic research work.