RESEARCH INTERESTS

BOTANY / PHYCOLOGY: cyanobacterial and algal cultures; cyanotoxins and bioactive compounds and their effects on different in vivo / in vitro test-models; anticancer activity of natural products; immunomodulation; biomarkers; health hazards and ecological risks of the cyanotoxins;  comparative genomics of Cyanobacteria – implication for taxonomy and toxigenicity.

EDUCATION

DOCTORAL DEGREE (April 16, 2007 – PhD degree in Biology): Plovdiv University „Paisii Hilendarski“, Plovdiv,  Bulgaria. Thesis defence: December 6th, 2006, Title: “Taxonomy, phylogeny and toxic potential of some blue-green algae (Cyanoprokaryota)”, Diploma # 31535, Council of Ministers, Higher Attestation Committee, Sofia, Bulgaria.

UNIVERSITY DEGREE (October 1, 1990 – September 6, 1995; B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biology & Chemistry, Teacher in Biology, Teacher in Chemistry): Diploma VD-95 # 0005245, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University „Paisii Hilendarski“, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

SECONDARY SCHOOL: High school with teaching of foreign languages “Prof. Dr. Asen Zlatarov”, Haskovo, Majoring in foreign languages and Minor in German, graduated 1990.

CURRENT POSITION

Associate Professor in Botany (2013 – at present): Lecturer in Phycology, Lecturer in Systematics of plants, Lecturer in Plant bioresources, Lecturer in Mycology, Lecturer in Medical toxicology. Department of Botany and Biological Education, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University „Paisii Hilendarski“, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

PREVIOUS POSITIONS AND PERIODS OF APPOINTMENT

2009 – 2013
Assistant Professor in Botany:  Department of botany and biological education, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University „Paisii Hilendarski“, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

2007 – 2009
Junior Researcher (EU reintegration grant): Department of botany and biological education, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University „Paisii Hilendarski“, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

2005 – 2007
Researcher: Medical Inflammation Research, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.

2004 – 2006
PhD-student in Biology: Department of botany and biological education, Faculty of Biology, Plovdiv University „Paisii Hilendarski“, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

2001 – 2003
Fellow-scientist: UFZ – Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig, Germany.

1998 – 2000
Expert in Chemistry: Region of Haskovo, Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria.

1995 – 1998
Teacher in Chemistry (in German): School for foreign languages, Haskovo, Bulgaria.