Sen. Assist. Prof. Sonia Apostolova, PhD | CV

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Education

  • 2015 – 2021: PhD Degree of University of Lleida, Spain.
    Department of “Basic Medical Sciences”, Cell Cycle Group. Doctoral Thesis: “The RING domain of Nse1: roles in Smc5/6 complex stability and genome integrity in human cells”.
    Thesis defence date: 06.07.2021
  • 2011 – 2013: M.S. in Virology
    Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 2007 – 2011: B.S. in Molecular Biology
    Faculty of Biology, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofia, Bulgaria

Research experience

  • 2022 – present: Senior Assistant Professor, Laboratory „Transmembrane Signalling”. Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 2021 – 2022: Biologist, Laboratory „Transmembrane Signalling”. Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 28 June – 29 July 2019: Research internship in the laboratory “Signaling and checkpoints of cell cycle” leaded by Prof. Neus Agell, Faculty of Medicine at the University of Barcelona, Spain
  • 2014 – 2015: Biologist, Department of „Electroinduced and Adhesive Properties”. Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 2014: Biologist, Department of “Pathology”, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 2011 – 2012: Biologist, Department of “Pathology”, Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

Areas of scientific interest

  • Cell biology, Molecular biology, Tumor biology, Apoptosis, Cell cycle, DNA repair, Microscopy and Immunofluorescence techniques

Participation in R&D projects

  • 2017-2019; Generalitat de Catalunya 2017 SGR 569, Spain. Name of the project “Eukaryotic cell cycle”, Principal Investigator: Eloi Gari. Type of participation – team member
  • 2016-2018; Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad BFU2015-71308-P, Spain. Name of the project “Molecular mechanisms of mitotic chromosome disjunction”, Principal Investigator: Jordi Torres-Rosell and Neus Colomina. Type of participation – team member
  • 2012-2015; Bulgarian Science Fund, № DNTS/Germany/01/0003. Name of the project “Studying the adsorption of plasma proteins and cell adhesion onto conductive 2D and 3D dimensional polymer composite surfaces, with application to regenerative medicine” Principal Investigator: Rumiana Tzoneva. Type of participation – team member

Publications

  1. Zapatka M, Pociño-Merino I, Heluani-Gahete H, Bermúdez-López M, Tarrés M, Ibars E, Solé-Soler R, Gutiérrez-Escribano P, Apostolova S, Casas C, Aragon L, Wellinger R, Colomina N, Torres-Rosell J. Sumoylation of Smc5 Promotes Error-free Bypass at Damaged Replication Forks. Cell Reports. Dec 3;29(10):3160-3172.e4. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.10.123, 2019
  2. Rumiana Tzoneva, Veselina Uzunova, Sonia Apostolova, Anne Krüger-Genge , Axel T Neffe , Friedrich Jung , Andreas Lendlein. Angiogenic potential of endothelial and tumor cells seeded on gelatin–based hydrogels in response to electrical stimulations, Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 64 (4), 941-949. 2016. doi: 10.3233/CH-168040
  3. Sonia N. Apostolova, Reneta A. Toshkova, Albena B. Momchilova and Rumiana D Tzoneva Statins and Alkylphospholipids as New Anticancer Agents Targeting Lipid Metabolism, Anticancer Agents Med Chem 16(12):1512-1522, 2016. doi: 10.2174/1871520616666160624093955
  4. Veselina Uzunova, Sonia Apostolova, Tsvetelina Angelova, Reneta Toshkova, Nelly Georgieva, Rumiana Tzoneva HPC Hybrid Hydrogels with Embedded Silver Nanoparticles for Antibacterial Scaffolds. Biocompatibility Testing, Comptes rendus de l’Acade’mie bulgare des Sciences, Vol 69, No5, pp.599-606,2016
  5. Veselina Uzunova, Sonia Apostolova, Ani Georgieva, Martin R.Berger, Reneta Toshkova, Rumiana Tzoneva, The Influence of Anti-cancer Agent Erufosine on Graffi Myeloid Tumour Cells Behaviour. Cytotoxicity and Cytoskeleton Reorganisation Study, Comptes rendus de l’Acade’mie bulgare des Sciences, Vol 68, No12, pp.1547-1552, 2016
  6. Guncheva M, Paunova K, Ossowicz P, Rozwadowski Z, Janus E, Idakieva K, Todinova S, Raynova Y, Uzunova V, Apostolova S, Tzoneva R, Yancheva D. Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin modified with ionic liquids with enhanced anti breast cancer activity. Int J Biol Macromol. 2015. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.10.031
  7. Guncheva M., Paunova K., Ossowicz P., Rozwadowski Z., Janus E., Idakieva K., Todinova S., Raynova Y., Uzunova V., Apostolova S., Tzoneva R., Yancheva D. Modification of Rapana thomasiana hemocyanin with choline amino acid salts significantly enhances its antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. RSC Adv., Issue 78, 2015, 5, 63345-63354. DOI: 10.1039/C5RA12214G
  8. Apostolova S., Yossifova L., Gardeva E., Toshkova R., Serkedjieva J. Еffect of combined administration of protease inhibitor and polyphenolic complex on functions of alveolar macrophages in mice, infected with influenza A virus. Proceedings of the fifth workshop on experimental models and methods in biomedical research, 2014, ISSN: 1314-9091
  9. Liliana Gigova, Sonia Apostolova, Liliya Yossifova, Reneta Toshkova, Natalia Ivanova, Kaledona Minkova Еxperimental tumor models display different susceptibility to c-phycocyanin. Proceedings of the fifth workshop on experimental models and methods in biomedical research, 2014, ISSN: 1314-9091
  10. Vasilij Goltsev, Ivan Yordanov, Maria Gurmanova, Margarita Kouzmanova, Shteryan Dambov, Sonia Apоstоlova, Gergana Savova, Reto Jorg Strasser. Multifunctional plant efficiency analyzer mPEA used to describe the physiological states of the photosynthetic apparatus. J. Agricultural Sciences, Vol 2 Issue 4, 2010, 15-26, ISSN: 1313-6577

Conference Presentations (*presenter)

  1. *Sonia Apostolova, Marta Rafel, Raimundo Freire, Fernando Unzueta, Roger Solé-Soler, Neus Pedraza, Eloi Garí, Xavier Dolcet, Francisco Ferrezuelo, Neus Agell, Jordi Torres-Rosell, Neus Colomina “The RING domain in Nse1 is necessary for Smc5/6 stability and genomic integrity in human cells“ Trends in Genome Integrity & Chromosome Dynamics, 19-21 February 2020, CABIMER, Sevilla, Spain – Poster
  2. *Sonia Apostolova, Neus Colomina, Jordi Torres-Rosell “Analysis of Nse1 function in maintenance of genomic stability in human cells” Group Friday seminars on Update in Investigation Training, IRB Lleida, Spain, 10th of May, 2019 – Presentation
  3. *Sonia Apostolova, Marta Rafel, Jordi Torres-Rosell, Neus Colomina “Analysis of Nse1 function in maintenance of genomic stability in human cells” – II Congrés de Biologia, Societat Catalana de Biologia (SCB) INSTITUT D´ESTUDIS CATALANS, Barcelona, Spain, 3rd and 4th of May, 2018 – Poster
  4. *Sonia Apostolova, Neus Colomina, Jordi Torres-Rosell ANALYSIS OF NSE1 UBIQUITIN LIGASE TARGETS AND FUNCTIONS ON GENOME STABILITY, EMBO practical course: “New approaches to study ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifications”, Alghero, Italy, 17-24 September, 2016 Poster and presentation
  5. V. Uzunova, A. Georgieva, *S. Apostolova, I. Ugrinova, R. Toshkova, M.R. Berger, R. Tzoneva “Combined treatment of cancer cells with the new anti-neoplastic agents erufosine and doxorubicin”. 20th World Congress on Advances in Oncology and
    18th International Symposium on Molecular Medicine, Athens, Greece, October 8-10, 2015 – Poster
  6. V.Uzunova, *S.Apostolova, Ts.Angelova, M.Aleksandrov, R.Toshkova, N.Georgieva, R.Tzoneva “Cytotoxicity of hydroxypropyl cellulose hydrogels containing silver nanoparticles” XII scientific poster session for young scientists, PhD and full-time students, Sofia, Bulgaria, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, May 22, 2015 – Poster
  7. V. Uzunova, *S. Apostolova, A. Georgieva, M. R. Berger, R. Toshkova, R. Tzoneva. “Investigation of the apoptotic potential of the novel anti-cancer agent erufosine on Graffi myeloid tumor cells”. 20 years Trakia University, Scientific Anniversary Conference with International Participation, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, May 19-20, 2015 – Poster
  8. *Sonia Apostolova, Reneta Toshkova, Rumiana Tzoneva “Statins as anticancer agents”. Sixth Workshop “Experimental models and methods in biomedical research”. Sofia, Bulgaria, May 12-14, 2015. – Presentation
  9. *Apostolova S., Yossifova L., Gardeva E., Toshkova R., Serkedjieva J. “Еffect of combined administration of protease inhibitor and polyphenolic complex on functions of alveolar macrophages in mice, infected with influenza A virus”. The Fifth Workshop “Experimental models and methods in biomedical research”. Sofia, Bulgaria, April 7-9, 2014. – Presentation
  10. Liliana Gigova, *Sonia Apostolova, Liliya Yossifova, Reneta Toshkova, Natalia Ivanova, Kaledona Minkova “Еxperimental tumor models display different susceptibility to c-phycocyanin”. The Fifth Workshop “Experimental models and methods in biomedical research”. Sofia, Bulgaria, April 7-9, 2014. – Presentation
  11. *Apostolova S., Toshkova R., Yossifova L., Gardeva E., Serkedjieva J. “Macrophage activity in mice with influenza infection, treated with natural compounds”. The Seventh Workshop “Biological activity of metals, synthetic compounds and natural products”. Sofia, Bulgaria, CO3, November 27-29, 2012. – Presentation

Fellowships and certificates

  • 2015 – 2018: PhD fellowship – AJUTS PER A PERSONAL PREDOCTORAL EN FORMACIÓ DE LA UNIVERSITAT DE LLEIDA I AJUTS JADE PLUS, University of Lleida, Spain
  • 17-24 September 2016: Travel grant for EMBO practical course: ”New approaches to study ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like modifications”, Alghero, Italy
  • 2018-2019: Fellowship grant for the promotion of health research, Modality C (Grants for the completion of a doctoral thesis) for the project ”Molecular mechanisms of mitotic chromosome disjunction” Promoted by the Diputació de Lleida, the territorial management of the ICS in Lleida and Alt Pirineu i Aran, Health Services Management and the IRBLleida, Lledia, Spain
  • 14-15 February 2019: Certificate of participation in the course ”Management of biological risk in the use of human samples for research and diagnostic”, University of Lleida. Hospital Universitari Arnau de Vilanova de Lleida, IRBLleida, Lleida, Spain

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