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

  • 2024-2026: Development of new Tideglusib-Abl inhibitory hybrids against SOD1, TDP-43 mutations driven by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Tubitak-BAS, IC-TR/13/2024-2026, Principal Investigator: Prof. Rumiana Tzoneva
  • 2022 – ongoing: Investigation of antitumor, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial action of plant extracts and antitumor agents using lipid model systems and in vitro cell models, Project No. 23003, MU-Varna Principal Investigator: Prof. Krastena Nikolova
  • 2023-2027: HORIZON Европа, HORIZON-MSCA-2021-SE-01#101086226, Emerging nanoscopy for single entity characterization, Principal Investigator: Prof. Kostadin Kostadinov
  • 2022 – ongoing: Potential of betulinic acid-based ionic liquids as a modulator of Toll-like receptors in mononuclear cells and breast cancer cell lines, №КП-06-Н69/2, Project coordinator: Assoc. prof. Dr. Maya Guncheva
  • 2022 – ongoing: Diabetic neuropathy – pharmacometric approaches in the assessment of new therapeutic modalities, №КП-06-Н63/9, Prof. Dr. Pavlina Gateva
  • 2022 – ongoing: Study of the effects of ATM inhibitors and hypoxia onto the dynamics of DNA repair, extracellular vesicle secretion and stimulation of angiogenesis in cancer cells, №КП-06-M61/5/2022, Senior Assistant professor Dr. Radoslav Aleksandrov
  • 2017-2019; Generalitat de Catalunya 2017 SGR 569, Spain. Name of the project “Eukaryotic cell cycle”, Principal Investigator: Eloi Gari
  • 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
  • 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

Conference Presentations (*presenter)

  1. *Sonia Apostolova, Irina Georgieva, Paula Ossowicz-Rupniewska , Joanna Klebeko, Maya Guncheva, Rumiana Tzoneva Preferential enhancement of the anticancer potential of betulinic acid by its incorporation into ionic liquids. A study with hormone-dependent (MCF-7) versus hormone-independent (MDA-MB-231) breast cancer cell lines European Cell Death Organization Conference 2024 Cell death at the crossroads of neurodegeneration and cancer, Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg 9-11 October 2024 – Poster
  2. *Sonia Apostolova, Yulian Tumbarski, Rumiana Tzoneva, Krastena Nikolova. Differential anti-tumor and anti-pathogenic  activity of propolis extracts from different Bulgarian regions. International Scientific Conference “Foods, Herbs, Nutraceuticals and Nutrition for a Better Health” organised by Medical University–Varna, under project “Enhancement of Translational Excellence Achievement in Medicine (MUVE-TEAM)”, 26 – 28 July 2024, Varna, Bulgaria – Poster
  3. *Sonia Apostolova, Irina Georgieva, Paula Ossowicz-Rupniewska, Joanna Klebeko, Maya Guncheva, Rumiana Tzoneva “Conversion of betulinic acid into organic salts improves its anticancer potency in a hormone-dependent vs hormone-independent breast cancer cell line” SATELLITE SCIENTIFIC SYMPOSIUM “MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS FOR INNOVATIVE BIOACTIVE PRODUCTS” KLIMENT’S DAYS-2023, 10 November 2023, Sofia, Bulgaria – Poster
  4. *Sonia Apostolova, Irina Georgieva, Borislava Borisova, Tsvetelina Oreshkova, Liliana Maslenkova, Rumiana Tzoneva “Using an in vitro breast cancer cell model to investigate the effect of Petasites hybridus L. root extract on the induction of apoptosis/necrosis and oxidative stress” 100 anniversary of the birth of Acad. Roumen Tsanev conference, 5 – 7 October 2022, Sofia, Bulgaria – Poster
  5. Irina Georgieva, *Sonia Apostolova, Rumiana Tzoneva “Melatonin as a regulator of neurodegenerative diseases”, European Researchers Night, 1st of October, 2022, Sofia, Bulgaria
  6. *Sonia Apostolova, Veselina Uzunova, Irina Georgieva, Borislava Borisova, Tsvetelina Oreshkova, Rumiana Tzoneva, Liliana Maslenkova “Effect of Petasites hybridus L. (Butterbur) root extract on induction of apoptosis and oxidative stress in breast cancer in vitro cell model”, 3rd Youth Scientific Session “Biomedicine and Quality of Life” 2021.2-3 December, 2021 – Oral presentation
  7. *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
  8. *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
  9. *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
  10. *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
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. *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
  15. *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
  16. 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
  17. *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

Teaching activity

  • Practical classes for students of the University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy in Sofia in
    disciplines “Immunology” and “Tissue engineering;
    February-April, 2022 – 30 hours;
    October-November 2022 – 30 hours.

Membership in scientific organizations

  • Member of the Bulgarian Society of Biomechanics

Awards

  • 26-28 July 2024 – Award for outstanding poster, entitled “Differential anti-tumor and anti-pathogenic activity of propolis extracts from different Bulgarian regions“, International Scientific Conference “Foods, Herbs, Nutraceuticals and Nutrition for a Better Health” organised by Medical University–Varna, under project “Enhancement of Translational Excellence Achievement in Medicine (MUVE-TEAM), Varna, Bulgaria
  • 5-7 October 2022 – Award for outstanding poster, entitled “Using an in vitro breast cancer cell model to investigate the effect of Petasites hybridus L. root extract on the induction of apoptosis/necrosis and oxidative stress” 100 anniversary of the birth of Acad. Roumen Tsanev conference, Sofia, Bulgaria
  • 2022 – Certificate of participation in the contest “My workplace”, organized by the journal “Bulgarian Science”, Sofia, Bulgaria

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