The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
(BAS) is national research center in microbiological sciences. Since its
foundation 60 years ago, the Institute’s strategic lines have been: (1)
investigations on problems implicated in public health and biotechnology; (2)
teaching activities and training of PhD students. In 2004 the Institute of
microbiology was associated with Institut Pasteur, Paris and a member of the
International Network of Pasteur Institutes (INPI). This is a great recognition of
the activities of our institute by this world centre of microbiology and molecular
biology, a leader in the struggle against infectious diseases.
The institute is recognized as a leader in the field of applied microbiology –
microbial biosynthesis and biotechnologies. The microbial genetics, biochemistry
and fine structure are examined by modern methodologies physiology and
biosynthetic capacity of extremophilic microorganisms are extensively studied.
Investigations on various aspects of microbial ecology are carried out. Infectious
microbiology research is focused on bacterial pathogenicity and virulence, and
the activities of novel plant, microbial, or synthetic antimicrobial substances.
Modern food control methodologies are developed. General virology studies are
directed to antivirals mode of action and to viral proteins. The etiological role of
some viruses in human pathology is investigated as well. The immunological
studies are concentrated on autoimmunity mechanisms and on the
characterization of novel natural or synthetic immunomodulators. Mathematical
modeling of microbiological processes is developed. The research of the Institute
is in accordance with modern trends in biology like bioactive substances,
biotechnologies, molecular and cell biology, biomedicine, ecology and
bioresources. They are closely related with national priority topics – ecology and
environment, health protection, agriculture and food industry.
Nowadays, the Institute comprises scientific staff of 89 scientists including 5
professors, one of them Academician, 30 associate professors, 61 PhDs, 6 DSc.
The research work of the Institute consists of research projects funded by foreign
and Bulgarian grants. Presently, a total of over 30 projects are funded by foreign
institutions (FP7 of the EC, NATO grants, UNESCO, Institut Pasteur, the French
Government, the Swiss Government, and by companies abroad), and by the
National Science Research Fund at the Ministry of Education and Science,
Bulgaria.
The educational activities of the Institute include: doctoral studies (35 PhD
students within the last five years); training courses for young scientists from the
Balkan countries at the Atelier Pasteur; participation in the Leonardo da Vinchi
Programme of EC. Thirteen scientists give lectures at nine Bulgarian universities.
Scientists from the Institute participate in scientific councils, editorial boards,
councils of organizations and scientific societies in Bulgaria and abroad (such as
WHO, IUMS, FEMS, etc.). IMicB is the initiator of the establishment of the Balkan
Society for Microbiology, and is the head quarter of this society and the Bulgarian
Society for Microbiology. Consultancy is provided for many institutions
(governmental, university, private etc) about public health, agriculture, food
industry, ecology and environment. Scientists are included in the work of many
expert groups among which Expert Council for Prevention of the Population
from Natural Disasters and Catastrophes, Expert Council for Epidemiological
Control of Infectious Diseases and Immunoprophylaxis, Commission for
Eradication of Polyomyelitis at the Ministry of Public Health, Expert Group on
Countering the Effects of Biological and Chemical Terrorism at EC, National
Agencies of Standardization and Authorization, etc.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The Institute’s activities are widely based on international cooperation, with
projects between two or more institutions. We are searching for new projects as
part of the international research programs. Scientists from the Institute are
respected partners for different scientific organizations abroad, companies,
institutes and laboratories.
New scientific bridges have been created between the IMSA and the SaintPetersburg Institute Pasteur and Institute Pasteur of Guadeloupe (drug-resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis), Institute Pasteur Paris (human papillomaviruses,
genetics of primary HBV/HCV-induced liver carcinoma), German Center of
Cancer Research (DKFZ, Heidelberg) (oncolytic viruses), University of Leipzig
and the Technical University of Dresden (plant cell cultures and biotechnologies),
University of Viterbo and University of Pavia (new enzymes of Antarctic
microorganisms), University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (biotechnologies of
eukaryotic microorganisms), University of Naples (enzymes from thermopile
bacteria) and Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Fishery, Ghent (control on
food products), etc.
Some of the dissertation works are part of the international partnership, which
finalize as dissertation theses supervised by scientists from the Institute of
microbiology and from RIIP, CNRS (France) and others.
HIstory
The Institute of Microbiology was founded on March 7, 1947 by the worldfamous Bulgarian scientist Prof. Stephan Angeloff, Member of BAS, who had
been its first director for 15 years.
The foundation of the Institute of Microbiology realized the necessity for a
formation of a research center with national importance, which to carry out
contemporary investigations in rapidly developing and prosperous branches of
microbiological science. Five units were founded at first in the Institute:
bacteriological (medical, agricultural and industrial bacteriology), protozoological,
virological (investigation of viruses and viral diseases in man, animals and
plants), immunological and biochemical. The initial period in the development of
the Institute (1947 - 1962) was connected with the studies of the actual after the
Second World War infectious pathology of domestic animals and humans under
the direct leadership of Prof. S. Angeloff and his first collaborator Prof. Ilia
Kujumgiev. The achievements in the study of the etiology and the development
of diagnostic methods and immunoprophylactic preparations of these infections
were significant. Also bacteria, mycoplasma and L forms, the antibiosis and the
antibacterial medicinals, as well as the agents causing protozoic invasions were
studied. The beginning of the investigations in the field of infectious immunology
were set by Prof. Vladimir Markov, Member of BAS. The industrial microbiology
started with the investigations of Prof. Ignat Emanuilov, Member of BAS, on the
microbiology of milk and dairy products, biochemistry and physiology of lactic
acid bacteria and the application of bacterial enzymes (proteinases) in cheese
making. Along with bacteria as producers of biologically active substances
filamentous fungi were studied. About 1964 the investigations were grouped into
two principal problems: I. Metabolism and biosynthesis of microorganisms and
their regulation; II. Nature and regularities of the interactions between the
microorganisms and the macroorganism
In the field of microbial morphology since 1964 electron microscope
studies of bacteria, filamentous fungi, yeasts and cells of the immune system of
the macroorganism were performed. The investigations in the field of microbial
biochemistry after 1973 aimed the elucidation at contemporary biochemical level
of the main peculiarities in the physiology and biosynthetic capabilities of the
microbial cells. The main object of these studies were some enzymes
(ribonucleases,
acid
neuraminidase
and
and
alkaline
luciferase),
phosphatases
proteinase
and
from
yeasts,
nuclease
bacterial
inhibitors,
microbiological transformation of steroids; protein-lipid interactions in bacterial
membrane in regard to the secretion of extracellular enzymes. As a result of the
systemic investigations carried out by Prof. Simeon Galabov and his
collaborators the relationship between antigenic structure and biological
properties of bacterial endotoxins were clarified by the use of different methods
for their detoxication. Data were obtained about the medical application of
endotoxins, based on their antigenicity (diagnostic kits), immunogenicity
(vaccines), interferon-inducing activity and tumor necrotic action. The research
work in the field of microbial genetics was developed by Prof. Kaltcho Markov,
Corresponding Member of BAS. The investigations were connected with the
problem of prophage interference, genetic transfer in Bacillus thuringiensis and
Streptococci from group A, hybridization of Actinomyces sp. in order to increase
their productivity, construction of gene maps of Streptomycetes - producers of
antibiotics, molecular identification of microorganisms by the use of PCR, as well
as genomic differentiation by M13 DNA fingerprinting and ribotyping. The
Institute of Microbiology has always played a leading role in applied microbiology.
Microbial producers of a wide spectrum of biologically active substances were
isolated: enzymes, aminoacids proteins, carotinoids, various antibiotics with wide
spectrum of activity. In details were studied the physiology and biochemistry of
microbial
producers,
including
extremophilic
bacteria
(thermophilic
and
alkalophilic) and also the properties of the synthesized products. A wide
spectrum of methods for immobilization of enzymes and microbial cells,
producers of biologically active substances, were elaborated. The investigations
in infectious bacteriology after 1962 were pointed on the changes provoked in the
pathogen during the course of infectious and immunizatory process (Prof.
Alexander Toshkov, Corresponding Member of BAS, and collaborators) and later
researches were focused on the factors and mechanisms of bacterial virulence
and bacteria-host interactions using as a model Yersinia infection (Prof. Dimitar
Veljanov and collaborators). At the beginning of 60th years started investigations
in the field of the experimental chemotherapy of viral infections. Search for viral
inhibitors from Bulgarian medicinal plants (tested mainly on influenza viruses)
was extended later with systemic studies on the creation and characterization of
some new effective antivirals (vs. influenza, toga and other virus groups), on the
combined effects of viral inhibitors (efficient against herpes and picornaviruses)
and their mechanisms of action. After the pioneer for the Bulgarian immunology
works carried out by Prof. Vladimir Markov followed the investigations on cell
immunity and L-forms of bacteria under the guidance of Prof. Valchan Valchanov
and Prof. Assen Toshkov. A wide spectrum immunopharmacological screening
was performed aiming the selection of new active substances.
Nowdays, the expertise areas are: morphology and ultrastructure,
genetics, biochemistry, physiology and ecology of microorganisms, mycology,
virology, infectious microbiology and immunology. In the recent years, the
Institute has structured its research activity to reflect both European and national
bioscience priorities. The efforts are currently concentrated on some key practical
problems of public health (tuberculosis, actual viral infections, autoimmunity and
autoimmune diseases, vaccines), drug design (screening and development of
antivirals, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, biological response
modifiers), food safety, biotechnology, and environmental protection.