Oleg A. Rukavitsin was born on September 25th, 1963 in Znamenka village in the Shchigrovsky region of the Kursk area in a family of governmental workers.

In 1980 he graduated from the Secondary School 44 in Kursk and was accepted to the Faculty of General Medicine at the Kursk Medical Institute. In 1985 he continued his studies at the 1st I.P. Pavlov Leningrad Medical Institute which he graduated with honors a year later. He entered clinical residency in therapy at the Department of Internal Diseases # 1 (currently the Department of Internal Therapy) of the same institute.

Later Dr. Rukavitsyn worked at the Leningrad Scientific Research Institute of Hematology and Transfusiology (currently Russian Institute of Hematology and Transfusiology) where he started as a researcher and advanced to a position of senior researcher and, ultimately, a group leader. Concurrently he taught at the Department of Internal Diseases of the Saint-Petersburg I.I. Mechnikov Medical Academy first as a teaching assistant and later as a professor.

In 1993 Dr. Rukavitsyn successfully defended his PhD thesis, in 1998 – his Doctor of Medical Science dissertation. Both works were dedicated to diagnostics and treatment of one of the most common blood diseases – chronic myeloid leukemia.

In 2001 Dr. Rukavitsyn entered contract military service; since then he has been heading the Hematology Center at the N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital.

In 2003 Dr. Rukavitsyn was appointed the Head Hematologist of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

In 2004 the State Commission on Academy Degrees and Titles awarded Dr. Rukavitsyn the title of Professor in the field of hematology.

Dr. Rukavitsyn is a co-author of more than 200 scientific articles and 8 monographs.

Dr. Rukavitsyn supervised 8 dissertations including one Doctor of Medical Science dissertation.