Section of MORPHOLOGY OF MICROORGANISMS AND ELECTRON
MICROSCOPY
Head: Assoc. Prof. Stoyanka R. Stoitsova, PhD
Tel: (+359 2) 979 31 59
e-mail: stoitsova_microbiobas@yahoo.com;stoitsova@microbio.bas.bg
1979
MS, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’
1980
PhD Student, Central Laboratory of Helminthology, BAS
1983
PhD, Central Laboratory of Helminthology, BAS
1984
Research Sientist, Institute of Parasitology, BAS
1993
Visiting Researcher, Queen’s University of Belfast, UK
1995
Research Sientist, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
1999,
2001
Visiting Researcher, University of Louisville, KY, USA
2006
Associate Professor, Institute of Microbiology, BAS
2008
Head of Department ‘Morphology of Microorganisms and Electron
Microscopy’
Research Imaging techniques (confocal microscopy, TEM, SEM); Microbial
Interests ultrastructure; Bacteria-host cell interactions; Bacterial biofolms and
biofilm modulation
STAFF:
Tsvetelina Paunova, MS, Research Scientist, tsv_pauny@yahoo.com
Anna Vacheva, MS, Research Scientist, hi_ann@mail.bg
Ivan Chavdarov, MS, Electronic Engineer
Nina Tadjer, BS, Laboratory Assistant
Lidana Panova, Laboratory Assistant
CONSULTANT: Radka Ivanova, PhD
PhD STUDENT: Krasimira Vasileva, krasi_9@yahoo.com
RESEARCH AREA

Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of microorganisms from diverse phylogenetic
groups – viruses, prokaryotes (bacteria, actinomycetes) and eukaryotes
(yeast, fungi).

Bacterial adherence to abiotic surfaces and cultured cells.

Surface polysaccharide antigens of pathogenic E. coli strains

Biofilms – structure, development and modulation by natural products
ONGOING PROJECTS

COST Action BM1003 “Microbial cell surface determinants of
viru;ence as targets for new therapeutics in Cystic fibrosis”. European network
including 16 EU countries. Project co-ordinator: Professor A. Molinaro,
Federico II University, Naples, Italy; Secretary: Dr R. Berisio, Federico II
University, Naples, Italy; Co-ordinator for Bulgaria: Dr S. Stoitsova.

Biofilms of Escherichia coli – a risk factor for contamination of medical
devices: Biofilm structure, effects of biogenic factors and search of
antiadhesives and biofilm inhibitors. NSF, Contract VU-L-321/2007.
Principal investigator S. Kostadinova, Plovdiv University “P. Hilendarski”;
Participants from the Institute of Microbiology: S. Stoitsova, A. Vacheva (PhD
student), S. Danova, R. Ivanova,Ts. Paunova, N. Tadjer.

Confocal laser scanning microscope for evaluation of Bulgarian
bioresources. NSF, Contract IFS-B-603/2007. Coordinator S. Stoitsova, and
8 participants from the Institute of Microbiology; Other consortium members:
IBER, BAS, and IEMPAM, BAS.

Escherichia coli O157: novel approaches to an emerging pathogen. NSF,
Contract DO02-301/2008. Principal investigator S. Stoitsova; Participants from
the Institute of Microbiology: R. Ivanova, T. Paunova, A. Vacheva, N. Tadjer
and L. Dobreva; Other consortium members: Federico II University of Naples,
Italy, IEMPAM, BAS, Institute of Organic Chemistry, BAS, and Department of
Cytology, Histhology and Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University.

Sub-micron machining and analysis of materials and structures using
scanning electron microscopy in combination with focused ion beam.
NSF, Contract DО02-56/10.12.2008. Coordinator S. Rusev. Participants from
the Institute of Microbiology: S. Stoitsova, T. Paunova, A. Vacheva. Other
consortium members: Sofia University, ISSP, BAS, University of Mining and
Geology, University of Transport.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Alexieva B., Stoitsova S., Pavlova V., Paunova T., Nikolova E., 2009. Whey protein concentrate as a
protective agent against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in mice. Biotechnol Biotechnol
Equipment 23SE, 493-497.
Bivolarska, M., Velinov, T., Stoitsova, S. 2006. Guided-wave and ellipsometric imaging of supported
cells. Journal of Microscopy 224, 42-248.
Boteva, R., Bogoeva, V., Stoitsova, S., 2005. PA-I lectin from Pseudomonas aeruginosa binds acyl
homoserien actones. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1747, 143-149.
Marhova M., Kostadinova S., Stoitsova S., 2009. Antimicrobial resistance profiles of urinary
Escherichia coli isolates. Biotechnol Biotechnol Equipment 23SE, 616-620.
Marhova M., Kostadinova S., Stoitsova S., 2010. Biofilm-forming capabilities of urinary Escherichia coli isolates.
Biotechnol. Biotechnol. Eq., ISSN 1310-2818, 24, 589-593.
Paunova Ts., Ivanova R., Stoitsova S., 2010. Growth temperature-related cell surface changes of Escherichia coli
O157:H-. Biotechnol. Biotechnol. Eq. ISSN 1310-2818, 24, 585-588.
Paunova, T., Vacheva, A., Marhova, M., 2008. Cell-to-cell communication in Gram-negative bacteria:
future prospects forantibacterial therapy. Proceedings of Plovdiv University ‘P. Hilendarski’, Sect.
Biology, Microbiology and Cytology1, 41, 141-150.
Paunova, Ts., Stoitsova S., Ivanova, R., 2010. Application of lectin cytochemistry for differential labeling of
surface polysaccharides of pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli. Acta Morphologica et Anthropologica, 15,
123-127.
Stoitsova, S., Ivanova, R., Paunova, T. 2007. Biofilm formation by referencestrains of Escherichia
coli, Comptes Rendus de l’ABS, 60, 71-76.
Stoitsova, S., Paunova, T., Spasova, B., 2006. Localization of chitin in the cell wall of Aspergillus
niger 26 and its changes in the course of hyphal differentiation. Comptes Rendus de l’ABS 59,
955-958.
Vacheva, A., Bivolarska, M., Paunova, Ts., Stoitsova S., 2010. Biofilm morphology and effects of bacterial cell-tocell communication on biofilm formation by Escherichia coli K-12. Acta Morphologica et Anthropologica, 15,
137-140.
Yoneva
A.,
Georgieva
K.,
Mizinska
Y.,
Nikolov
P.N.,
Georgiev
B.B.,
Stoitsova
S.R.
2009.Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and mature spermatozoon of Anonchotaenia globata (von
Linstow,
1879)
(Cestoda,
Cyclophyllidea,
Paruterinidae).
Acta
Zool
(Stockholm),
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120119538/issue Online ISSN 1463-6395
Yoneva A., Georgieva K., Nikolov P.N., Mizinska Y., Georgiev B.B., Stoitsova S.R. 2009.
Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and mature spermatozoon of Triaenorhina rectangula (Cestoda:
Cyclophyllidea: Paruterinidae). Folia Parasitol, 56, 275-283. ISSN 0015-5683