Team Members

• 

  Boris Kirov

  BSc in Biotechnologies at the Sofia University “St. KlimentOhridski” (Bulgaria), MSc in Advanced Biomedical Engineering at the University of Warwick (UK), PhD in the field of Synthetic Biology and Microfluidics at Universitéd'Évry - Val d'Essonne (France). Assistant professor at the Technical University – Sofia (Bulgaria), leader of the Bioengineering group. Lab leader of BioInfoTech at the SofiaTechPark.

  Interests, hobbies , leisure time:

  Aikido, squash, swimming, skiing, hiking, opera, theatre, books.

  I don’t forget that...

  Omnia vincitamor.

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I found the first Bulgarian iGEM team mainly because I was sure that Bulgarian students had the potential to succeed, but they needed to be proven so. Hopefully it will all end up well and they will become believers.

• 

  Slavil Peykov

  Clinical Case Report:
  
  Symptoms – patient can be located in a lab alarmingly often (mainly after 6:00 pm). He gets really excited by the look of several E. coli colonies on a LB Amp petri dish early in the morning. Searching of his computer showed six different cloning programs installed and recently used. Furthermore the patient was able to memorize and reproduce four symbol strings with length up to 5000 (plus finding small 6 or 8 elements palindromic motifs inside them).
  
  Diagnosis – patient meets all diagnostically important criteria for a severe case of gene engineering obsession.
  
  Prognosis – unfavourable. No treatment possibilities.
  
  Future course of the disorder – it will involve contribution to different synthetic biology projects and initiatives. Participation in iGEM is both expected and inevitable.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time

  Mainly natural sciences – everything from quarks to the Hercules–Corona Borealis Great Wall (yet living things with editable genomes come first). Outside science – gamebooks and computers.

  I don’t forget that...

  If you can amplify it – you can clone it!

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  Some of my best students made me an offer: “Please, come and help us with the design of our iGEM parts, show us how to clone them and tell us what to do next. By the way don’t worry about funds, chemicals, kits and lab space – we had all these arranged.” How could I say “No” to such an offer?

• 

  Nikolay Gadev

  My name is Nikolay Gadev. I studied economics and management in my high school years. I am now in the senior year of my bachelor's degree at Sofia University "St. KlimentOhridski" where I also serve as the vice chairman of the Student's Faculty Council. Genetics was my passion. Synthetic biology was just a dream work area of mine but now it is a reality.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  In my spare time I like to have a cup of hot strong coffee, go to the cinema, read, go cycling, do freestyle wrestling and have beer with friends.

  I don’t forget that...

  “Man only plays when he is in the fullest sense of the word a human being, and he is only fully a human being when he plays”

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I chose to be a part of iGEM Bulgaria because I believe it is a team of young, cheerful and intelligent people who share my ideas and passions.

• 

  Nikolay Krumov

  Hi, there! I’m Nikolay and I study Molecular biology in Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  I like to enjoy every moment in my life.

  I don’t forget that...

  ‘’Eadem mutate resurgo’’


  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I wanted to learn something new and helpful for my future career and to meet new people with the same interests as me. iGEM is a great opportunity for me to show my best and it’s a big challenge to show the others the right way to do things.

• 

  Desislava Popova

  Hello, my name is Desislava Ivailova Popova and I am a molecular biologist at Sofia University “St. KlimentOhridski”, Faculty of Biology.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  My passion is genetic engineering and synthetic biology and more precisely namely innovation and ingenuity that these studies provide - the ability to conquer the world through science.

  I don’t forget that...

  Love is all around us!

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  iGEMis a great opportunity for everybody to test their limits and to make new friends.

• 

  Evgenia Mihailova

  My name is Evgeniya Mihaylova and I study Biology and English for a third year in Sofia University.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  I am interested in biology, astronomy, marketing, business, traveling, hitch-hiking, art, theatre, photography, guitar playing, sailing, martial arts, tennis and spontaneous adventures.

  I don’t forget that...

  “If you can't change your fate, change your attitude.” 
Amy Tan

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I found iGEM to be a great way to discover myself. I was intrigued by the opportunity to be in a team with young people and together to have the freedom to use our creativity and enthusiasm to make our project.

• 

  Mario Markov

  My name is Mario Markov, I’m 22 and I’m a student at Technical University of Sofia. This is my senior year in Computer Systems and Technologies (in German), Bachelor’s degree.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  I am interested in business, marketing, new technologies, traveling, human brain psychology, martial arts.

  I don’t forget that...

  “Peace can not be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
Albert Einstein

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  iGEM represents my childish and unachieved love of biology. As a captain of the team I am determined to show the world what we are capable of. Despite the difficulties we’ve had, I’ve learned that this competition teaches us to be patient, to be together and to fight until the end in the name of the mutual goal. Now we are more than a team – we have become friends!

• 

  Natalie Atanasova

  Hello! My name is Natalie Atanasova and it's an honour for me to be a part of iGEM team Bulgaria. I am currently a 3-rd year undergrad student, "Biology and English" at the oldest and the largest university in Bulgaria - Sofia University

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  My interests are writing, psychoanalysis, arguing, astrology, occultism, meditation, legal disputes, making hip-hop music, entrepreneurship, marketing, women, football, kickboxing. I like Charles Bukowski, Martin Luther King Jr. and Salvador Dali, Qvkata DLG.

  I don’t forget that...

  “Not a step back, behind us is Bulgaria!”'

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  iGEM challenged me! The competition provoked my curiosity. The whole process was a challenge for me - from the team building to the departure for the finals. I took the competition as a cause - Bulgarian and international. I wanted more young people to participate and to have interest in science, to get out of the comfort zone and to create something by themselves. The thing that attracted me the most in iGEM is that there are no boundries in front of us. The competition gives us the opportunity to use our imagination and talents and all of our time in the name of the collective goal - the success.

• 

  Gergana Tzankova

  Hello, my name is GerganaTzankova and I was born in Sofia. I graduated from high school Lycée de langue française “Alphonse de Lamartine”, Sofia. Since 2016 I have a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology at Sofia University. Currently I am a Master student in Genetics and Genomics again at Sofia University.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  In my spare time I like reading books and watching movies. I love arts, literature, architecture, photography, dancing. I also love to travel.

  I don’t forget that...

  I don’t forget that I'm alive because life is a miracle!

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  My work in iGEM is extremely challenging for me. I chose to work here for three main reasons: The nature of the work, the ability to answer questions of fundamental importance, the curiosity. The team, the opportunity to work with outstanding professionals and people, the work atmosphere. The possibility that our job will be relevant to people one day.

• 

  Ilka Tsvetkova

  I am a 4-th year student of Molecular biology, at The Faculty of Biology, Sofia University "St. KlimentOhridski".

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  My interests are connected with the arts - dance, songs, musicals, theater. On my free time I prefer having fun, learning something new about the world around me and enjoying it. Let's not forget about the pleasant meetings with friends.

  I don’t forget that...

  I don't forget that every moment is special, every discovery today is innovative, and tomorrow comes better, but we need to move rapidly ahead and dream of something new, more diverse.

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I chose iGEM because of the opportunity to create something new, the thrill of the unexpected, the confrontation with the unknown and the wonderful time spent with an abmitious team.

• 

  Yordanka Kostova

  Hello iGEM! My name is Yordanka Kostova and I have recently finished my bachelor degree in Molecular Biology. My thesis was about micro RNAs that have the potential to be used as biomarkers for schizophrenia.
I am from Plovdiv – the town that is chosen to be the European capital of culture for 2019 - Yay! I moved to Sofia in order to join the Bulgarian iGEM team and soon after that I started working as a clinical scientist in a medical lab. As you can see I am very passionate about everything related to biology.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  My other inspirations include rock music, skateboarding, poetry and pets – a dog and a cat at the moment. I love spending time with my family and friends, going to concert shows, playing guitar (not that I’m good at it) and reading.


  I don’t forget that...

  I believe that through science and innovation people can really make a difference. I know that small steps still count and that there is no need to become a huge and famous name in science in order to be useful for society.

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I believe that with our project we can make the production of bioactive components easier and faster. This gives me the strength and ambition to work harder with my teammates.

• 

  Dimitar Cholakov

  My name is Dimitar Cholakov and I study Computer Systems and Technologies (in German) at Technical University of Sofia.

  Interests, hobbies, leisure time:

  I am interested in: science, nature, ancient cultures and art, among others. In my spare time I am a traveler and a photographer.

  I don’t forget that...

  A quote from Thor Heyerdahl: “Borders? I have never seen one but I have heard that they exist in the minds of some people.”

  Why did you choose to participate in iGEM?

  I have chosen iGEM because it was an exciting new opportunity to show the world what Bulgarian people are capable of, and also sounded fun and challenging.