Dr Tsanka Dikova was born in the city of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria, on 02.09.1961. In 1984 she graduated Technical University of Varna. She have worked in MRP “Terem-Ivaylo", Veliko Tarnovo, as designer-technologist, JSK “Metal-expert" in the same city as head engineer and in High-Technology Park at Technical University of Varna as research-engineer. Since 2007 she is associate professor at “Materials science and technology of materials" in Faculty of Dental Medicine (FDM) at Medical University of Varna. In 2013-2018 Dr Ts. Dikova was vice-dean of FDM. Since Dec 2020 she is full professor in the Department "Dental Material Science and Prosthetic Dental Medicine". She is a head of Educational Sector “Dental Material Science".
In 2019, she defended DSc thesis: „Properties of Additively Manufactured Dental Materials" at the Technical University of Gabrovo, Bulgaria.
In 2017, Dr Dikova took a grant of Tokai University, Japan, on bilateral agreement with Ministry of Education and Science, Republic of Bulgaria, and held 4-months specialization in the same university in the field of surface physics in particular laser nano-micro texturing of titanium alloys for biomedical applications.
In 2015, she was elected as member of the World Academy of Materials and Mechanical Engineering (WAMME).
In 2013, Dr Dikova was elected as a national expert in “Materials science and heat treatment of metals" at Scientific Technical Union on Mechanical Engineering.
In 2012, Dr Dikova was given Golden badge of the Federation of the Scientific-Technical Unions for high achievements in science and technologies.
In 2010, she took Fulbright grant and in 2011-2012 he held 5-months specialization in Rice University, Houston, USA, in the field of nanotechnologies, nanocoatings and materials for implants.
In 2005, she won grant of Tokai University, Japan, and held 6-months specialization in the same university in the field of laser treatment of metals.
In 2004, she defended PhD thesis: „Investigation the Behavior of Steels 5ChNM (L6), 3Ch2W8F (H21) and 4Ch5MFS (H11) in Laser Treatment and Thermal Cycling"
Dr Ts. Dikova has more than 145 scientific papers published in Bulgarian, Russian, English and Japanese in scientific journals and conferences' proceedings in Bulgaria, Serbia and Monte Negro, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Japan, Bahrain, Ukraine, Malaysia, India, France, Taiwan, Macedonia, Dubai, China, Poland, Italy and Australia. She has published four textbooks on Dental Material Science in Bulgarian and English, 5 book chapters, 3 monographies and 3 books.
She has participated in more than 100 national and international congresses and conferences as in more than 30 of them she was member or head of scientific or organizing committees. Dr Dikova was invited lecturer on 18 international conferences in Bulgaria, India, Turkey, Macedonia, China, Poland, France, Italy, Serbia and Australia. She gave lectures in Tokai University, Japan, in 2005, 2017, 2018 and 2024, Rice University, USA (2012), and Xidian University, China (2015).
Since 2016 Dr Ts. Dikova is deputy editor-in-chief of “Journal of Achievements in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering", in 2014-2018 - deputy editor-in-chief of the journal „Scripta Scientifica Medicinae Dentalis" and since 2021 – editor-in-chief of „Materials Science. Non-Equilibrium Phase Transformations". She is reviewer of many international scientific journals, published by Elsevier, Springer, MDPI, Sage etc.
She developed eight lecture courses in Bulgarian and English in the field of materials science, new materials and technologies, biomaterials and tissue engineering, nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, intended for dentists, dental technicians and engineers.
Her scientific interest and activities are in the field of laser surface treatments, dental materials and materials for implants, nanomaterials, nanocoatings and nanotechnologies, application of 3D printing and selective laser melting in general and dental medicine.
Dr Ts. Dikova is head of three projects that have won international scholarships and have taken place at universities in Japan and the USA. Since 2023 until now, she is a head of research group of a project № BG-RRP-2.004-0009-C02, financed by the European Union-NextGenerationEU through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria. In 2014-2018 she was leading researcher in the project № DFNI B02/19 (12.12.2014) “3D printing and its application in modern methods of treatment in prosthetic dentistry" supported by FSI, MSE of Republic of Bulgaria. From 2010 to 2025, she is а head of 1 and team member of 2 research projects supported by “Science" fund of MU-Varna.
Seven PhD students graduated successfully under guidance of Prof. Ts. Dikova.
