Department of Microbiology, Virology and Medical Genetics
Head of Department Tel: 064 884 227 E mail: |
General InformationThe Department of Microbiology, Virology and Medical Genetics is divided into two Sections: Microbiology and Virology Section and Medical Genetics Section. It was founded in 1999 and is headed by Prof. Mariya Petrova Sredkova, M.D, Ph.D. |
Microbiology and Virology SectionThe academic staff of the section consists of one Professor, one Assoc. Proffesor and five Chief Assistant Professors. All the lecturers have specialized in Medical Microbiology, one of them has a second specialty Virology, and one has a second specialty Epidemiology. Academic staff: The Microbiology and Virology Section divides its efforts between the teaching of students and scientific research. Teaching of M.D. students takes place during their second year and is carried out in both Bulgarian and English. Problem–Based Learning is also available. The teaching process includes a lecture course and training practice within two semesters. The teaching program includes basic subjects of the General Microbiology, Antibacterial Chemotherapy, Immunology, Special Microbiology, Special Virology and Clinical Microbiology. The objective of teaching and learning Microbiology is to obtain optimum knowledge in the field of Infectology and antibacterial therapy, which will be used in the routine practice of the future doctors. The discussion of clinical cases is vastly applied. Individual work spaces and mircoscopes are provided for each student. Audio-visual equipment and the respective materials are used in the practical training. The main topics and themes of the scientific research are: |
Medical Genetics SectionThe history of Medical Genetics in Pleven began in 1976, when the Medical Genetics Counseling division was formed as part of the Department of Biology in the recently established Higher Medical Institute of Pleven. An independent Medical Genetics Counseling Centre was established in 1986 with the start of the first National Programme for the organization of genetics care in Bulgaria. The Centre grew into the Department of Medical Genetics in 1997. As result of restructuring, the Department was split into Medical Genetics Section , which became part of Department of Microbiology, Virusology and Medical Genetics in 2001, and into Medical Genetics Diagnostics Laboratory under University Hospital Pleven in 2000. Department Head throughout those years was Maria Simeonova, M.D. Ph.D.
Research and teaching staff at the Medical Genetics Section also include Chief Assistant Professor, Katia Stefanova Kovacheva, M.D. and Assistant Professor Petia Angelova Nikolova, M.D. both of whom have achieved specialisation in Medical Genetics. Research is carried out in the following areas:
Teaching Medical Genetics is one of the main activities of the Section. Teaching of M.D. students takes place during their third year and is carried out in both Bulgarian and English. Course curriculum is reviewed and improved in several stages. The Section has well-equipped laboratories and lecture halls. The excellent facilities, together with many auto-visual learning materials help students learn about current approaches and methods for diagnostics and prevention of hereditary and inborn diseases. |
Section Head |