Head: Assoc. Prof. Dilyana Nikolova, PhD

Phone: (+359 2) 8167 222
E-mail: d.nikolova@biofac.uni-sofia.bg

Fundamental unit for the development and establishment of the Department of Biotechnology was the Research Problem Laboratory of Biotechnology, which was established in 1980. An year later, the Department of Engineering Biology was formed at the Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski “ and interdisciplinary Engineering degree in Biology. This served as a model for interuniversity training of students in Biotechnology at the Center of Biotechnology, located in the Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski “. Founder and first Head of the Department and specialty of Biotechnology was Prof. Dr Hristo Panayotov. By decision of the University Academic Council in 1999, the Department of Engineering Biology was renamed to Department of Biotechnology. The Head of the Department of Biotechnology from 1995 to 2000 was Assoc. Prof. Dr Venelin Balutsov. From 2001 to 2007, the Head of the Department was Prof. Dr Atanas Atev and from 2008 to 2012 - Assoc. Prof. Dr Svetla Ilieva.

Prof. Dr Hristo Panayotov, Founder and first Head of the Department

In 2012, Assoc. Prof. Valentin Savov, PhD was elected Head of the Department. In 2013, the other members of the Department are Assoc. Prof. Svetla Ilieva, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Vera Mamatarkova, PhD, Assist. Dilyana Nikolova, PhD, Assist. Yana Evstatieva, PhD, Assist. Orlin Gemishev, Assist. Natalia Christova, Nadezhda Panova - specialist, Daniela Galabova – specialist, Svetlana Mitseva - specialist, Valentina Vassileva - technician and PhD students Tsvetana Licheva, Maria Yordanova, Rositsa Denkova and Marina Badalova.

Lecturers from the Department of Biotechnology are actively involved in education of students in bachelor’s and master’s degree in Biotechnology, Biological Science and Pedagogy of Biology.

Prof. Hristo Panayotov, introducing the Biotechnological Centre, 1987	Opening of a new fermentation unit in 1987	The staff of the Department in the first years of its foundation, 1985

The basic research activities in the Department of Biotechnology are in the areas of food, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries, agriculture and environmental technologies. Educational and research laboratories in Technology of biologically active substances, Primary metabolic products, Secondary metabolic products, Biotechnological processes, Bioprocessing systems and Fermentation sector were created in the Department. As a result of research and scientific activities of the Department members, more than 20 patents were obtained. A number of technologies for the prodution of biologically active substances were embedded and are operating in Bulgarian biotech companies on the base of these patentsл

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
The main research activities of the members of the Department of Biotechnology are focused on several areas: i) isolation and characterization of producers of biologically active substances;
ii) traditional and modern ways of increasing the production abilities of industrial producers of biologically active substances; iii) production and application of enzymes; iv) biosynthesis of antibiotics, pigments and other secondary metabolites; v) study of probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria and preparation of probiotics; vi) biotransformation and bioconversion of waste and by-products; vii) study of microbial biofilms and possibilities for their use; viii) development of new methods for immobilization of bioproducers ; ix) development of new bioproducts with applications in agriculture and others. Over the past ten years the members of the Department had been leaders or participants in over 15 national and international research projects. Since 2008, two doctoral theses were defended in the field of Technology of biologically active substances and four full-time and two parttime PhD students have been educated.

Assoc. Prof. Baloutsov and Prof. Atev during the Anniversary Session in 1988	The staff of the Department in 2003

SUBJECTS IN THE BACHELOR’S DEGREE
The lecturers from the Department of Biotechnology are responsible for the training in six compulsory and four elective subjects in the Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology: Basics of Biotechnological Productions, Biotechnology of Primary Metabolic Products, Biotechnology of Secondary Metabolic Products, Planning and Analysis of Experiments, Processes and Equipment in Biotechnology, Practice in Biotechnology, Food Biotechnology, Biotransformation of Organic Compounds, Biotechnology of Alcohol Products, Biotechnology of Proteins from Unconventional Sources. The subject Biotechnology is also included as compulsory or elective in other seven Bachelor’s degree programmes.

Practicals in Biotechnology

PROGRAMMES IN THE MASTER’S DEGREE
The lecturers of the Department of Biotechnology are responsible for the education of students from the Master’s programme in Industrial Biotechnology, but are also involved in the education of students from the Master’s programme in Plant Biotechnology. The major subjects are: Industrial Producer in Biotechnology, Management and Marketing of Biotechnological Industry, Industrial Biotechnologies, Challenges in Biotechnology, Pre-graduation Practice. About ten Master’s theses of students from Master’s degree in Industrial Biotechnology are defended per academic year.