On 1st September the
European Commission presented the results of the evaluation of the submitted draft
research proposals in RISE (Research and Innovation Staff Exchange)
competition, part of Horizon 2020. 74 new consortia (out of 408 applicants)
have been selected, whose ideas are focused on supporting international and
cross-sectoral cooperation through exchange of research and innovation.
The only project selected for
funding, coordinated by a Bulgarian organization, is the one of Medical
University - Varna, headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Kristina Bliznakova from
the Department of Medical Equipment, Electronic and Information Technologies in
Health. The consortium consists of five partners from Bulgaria, Greece and
Italy, including representatives of academia and the private sector. The
expected results of PHENOMENO project are related to the development of a new
methodology for designing anthropomorphic breast phantoms, a new methodology
for materials production, and a methodology for developing a prototype of
complete equipment and technology for production of realistic breast phantoms,
structures or parts of the mammary gland.
This year, for the first MaXIMA
project, coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Bliznakova and funded by Horizon 2020, she
has been awarded with the most prestigious prize for scientific achievements by
the Ministry of Education and Science – the Pythagoras Award in the category of
Successful International Project Manager.
The Department of Medical
Equipment, Electronic and Information Technologies in Health was established in
2019 by a Decision of the Academic Council of Medical University "Prof. Dr.
Paraskev Stoyanov" - Varna as a part of the Faculty of Public Health. The
members of the Department maintain a beneficial partnership with colleagues
from other departments, resulting in launching research projects under the
Science Fund and the Young Scientists and Postdoctoral Students National Programme.
In August 2020 the Standing
Committee on Technical Sciences at the National Evaluation and Accreditation
Agency gave a positive evaluation of the project targeted at establishing a
professional field 5.2 “Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Automation” for
acquiring a Bachelor’s Degree at Medical University - Varna. The first class of
Biomedical Engineering and Technology is about to start its education in the
academic year 2021/2022. Currently the Department is expecting the start of the
Master’s Programme Information Technology in Health and Health Care.