Dr. Ekatarina Kostioukhina

Dr. Ekaterina Kostioukhina is a medical doctor with postgraduate studies in psychology from Harvard University. After earning her M.D. from the University of Miami and completing a residency in Internal Medicine with a focus on Obesity Medicine, she pursued further education at Harvard Extension School to explore the mind-body connection and the role of psychology in human performance—especially under extreme conditions.

It was during a course on brain and behavior in extreme environments, taught by Dr. Vladimir Ivkovic, that she discovered the field of space medicine—a turning point that reshaped her career.

Since then, she’s become a leader in studying how humans adapt to harsh environments, focusing on metabolic states like torpor and hibernation—which could one day enable missions to Mars and revolutionize critical care medicine here on Earth.

She’s served as a guest lecturer at MIT, trained military and intelligence personnel, and advises global leaders through the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Forum. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Crisis Response Journal, and military publications.
Now based in New Zealand, Dr. Kostioukhina continues her research and humanitarian work, while mentoring the next generation of scientists and space medicine pioneers.

She’s the founder of HIBERIA, a global initiative exploring how we can safely induce hypometabolic states, or “torpor,” to enable long-duration missions to places like Mars. Her work combines cutting-edge medical science, technology, and deep human resilience shaped by her own powerful life story.