Depatment of Virology

DEPARTMENT OF VIROLOGY

Angel S.Galabov, MD, DSc, Professor of Virology
Head of Department
Tel: (+359 2) 70-01-08
E-mail: galabov@microbio.bas.bg

1939	Born February 15, Sredez, Stara Zagora district
1962	MD, Medical Faculty, Medical University of Sofia
1968	PhD in Virology, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1968-69	Postdoctoral Fellowship, Institut Pasteur, Paris
1967-74	Assistant Professor, Department of Virology, Postgraduate Medical School (Medical Academy), Sofia
1972-88	Head, Viral Inhibitors and Interferon Laboratory, Department of Virology, Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Medical Academy, Sofia
1974-88	Associate Professor, Department of Virology, Medical Academy
1975	Visiting Scientist, Belozersky Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow State University
1978	DSc in Virology, Medical Academy, Sofia
1983	World Health Organization Expert Adviser (Viral Diseases Panel)
1988	Professor of Virology, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1988	Head, Department of Virology, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1992-97	Member of the International Council of the International Society for Antiviral Resarch
1995	Director, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1995	Member of the Board of the Bulgarian National Academy of Medicine
1996	Awarded by the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences with the Jubilee Medal "Ivanovsky/100 Years Virology"
1999-01	President, Balkan Society for Microbiology
2001	President, Bulgarian Society for Microbiology

Sonja N. Pancheva
DSc,Professor of Virology
Tel: (+359 2) 979 31 85

1933	Born September 30, Sofia
1957	Faculty of Chemistry, Sofia University "ST. Kliment Ohridski"
1971-1983	Research Assistant
1976	PhD in Virology, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1983-1993	Associate Professor, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1990	Award of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
1992	DSc in Virology, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1993	Professor of Virology, Institute of Microbiology, BAS

Julia Serkedjieva
PhD, Assoc. Professor
Head of Research Team
Tel: (+359 2) 979 31-13
E-mail: viroljul@bas.bg

1946	Born December 29, Sofia
1970	Diploma, Faculty of Biology, Moskow State University
1974	PhD in Virology
1978	Assistant Professor
1988	Associate Professor

Main Research Topics

Viral replication inhibitors - ligands of viral proteins: mode of action, resistance, combination effects of viral inhibitors
Rational approaches for combined antiherpesvirus chemotherapy; mechanisms of the antiviral synergism
Combined action of viral replication inhibitors and biological response modifiers (immunomodulators, interferon inducers, antioxidants, etc.)
Search for new viral inhibitors of synthetic and natural (plant, microbial, etc.) origin

Most Important Achievements

Discovery of new original antiviral substances effective in the treatment of viral infections in humans and domestic animals:
    - Guanidine derivative - chemotherapeutic agent, inhibiting replication of adenoviruses, effective in the treatment of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis and other adenovirus conjunctivitides (widely spread viral infections of the eye). It is the first known antiadenoviral chemotherapeutic agent.
    - Cyclic urea derivatives, inhibiting selectively replication of influenza and togaviruses.
    - Dipyridamole - a large spectrum antiviral agent, acting via induction of endogene interferon, used for prevention of flu and other acute viral respiratory infections.
Development of rational approaches for selection of synergistic combinations of antimetabolites effective against herpesviruses, based on targeting of key metabolites - dGTP (ribavirin + acyclovir, mycophenolic acid + acyclovir), dTTP (amethopterin + bromovinyldeoxyuridine) or involving a virus adsorption preventing agent (dextrane sulfate + acyclovir) and elucidation the mechanisms of antiviral synergism.
Clearing-up of the mode of antiviral action of mopyridone on influenza A virus replication (binding to the structural M1 protein).
Development of the concept for low-molecular weight interferon inducers as inhibitors of the cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase, a base for directed selection of active substances.
Establishment of highly efficient combinations of enteroviral replication inhibitors.
Establishment and characterization of antiviral activity of a series of pure substances of plant origin.

Selected Publications

      Galabov, A. S., A. V. Itkes, M. Mastikova, V. L. Tuniskaya, E. S. Severin. Dipyridamole-induced interferon production in mouse peritoneal leukocytes. Biochemistry International, 1985, 11, 591-598.

      Galabov, A. S., M. L. Khristova, S. Uzunov, L. Wassileva, D. J. Bucher, I. G. Kharitonenkov. Alteration in the antigenic structure of M1 protein of influenza A virus mutant resistant to a new antiviral compound mopiridone. Acta virol., 1994, 38, 5-10.

      Galabov, A. S., L. Nikolaeva, D. Todorova, T. Milkova. Antiviral activity of cholesteryl esters of cinnamic acid derivatives. Z. Naturforsch., 1998, 53c, 883-887.

      Konstantinov, K., A. Galabov, M. Mastikova. Interferon response to dipyridamole in lupus erythematosus patients. British J. Dermatology, 1989, 121, 59-62.

      Nikolaeva, L., A. S. Galabov. Synergistic inhibitory effect of enviroxime and disoxaril on poliovirus type 1 replication. Acta virol., 1995, 39, 235-241.

      Serkedjieva, J., V. Bankova, N. Manova. Antiinfluenza virus effect of some propolis constituents and their analogs. J. Natur. Products, 1992, 55, 3, 294-297.

      Pancheva, S. Potentiating effect of ribavirin on the antiherpes activity of acyclovir. Antiviral Res., 1991, 16, 151-161.

      Pancheva, S., I. Roeva, D. Dundarova, M. Remichkova. Mycophenolic acid as acyclovir partner for combined inhibition of herpesviruses. Die Pharmazie 1999, 54, 632-633.

      Poch, G., S. Pancheva. Calculating slope and ED50 of additive dose-response curves and applications of these tabulated parameter values. J. Pharmacol. Toxicol. Methods, 1995, 33, 3 137-145.

      Serkedjieva, J. A., A. Hay. In vitro antiinfluenza virus activity of a plant preparation from Geranium sanguineum L. Antiviral Res., 1998, 37, 221-230.

      Stankova, I. G., M. F. Simeonov, V. Maximova, A. S. Galabov, E. V. Golovinsky. Synthesis and anti-virus activity of some nucleoside analogues. Z. Naturforsch. 1999, 54c, 75-83.

      Timcheva, I. I., V. A. Maximova, T. G. Deligeorgiev, N. I. Gadjev, R. W. Sabnis, I. G. Ivanov. Fluorescence spectral characteristics of novel asymmetric monomethine cyanine dyes in nucleic acid solutions. FEBS Letters, 1997, 405, 141-144.

      Wassilewa, L., S. Uzunov, A. S. Galabov, A. N. Simonov, S. Markushin, M. Alexandrov. Characterization of the virions of mopyridone-sensitive wild strain and mopyridone-resistant mutant of influenza virus A(H3N2). Acta virol., 1995, 39, 79-84.