At the Department of Pharmaceutical Technologies, students from the regulated profession “Pharmacy" are trained at the Master's educational qualification level. The following mandatory disciplines are taught:
- Pharmaceutical Technology, Parts I and II
- Biopharmacy and Pharmacokinetics
- Radiopharmacy
Elective discipline offered by the department:
- Technology of Medicinal-Cosmetic Preparations
The academic staff organizes and conducts the State Examination in Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy for Pharmacy students, participates in teaching students from the “Assistant Pharmacist" program, and in postgraduate education in the following specialties:
- Pharmaceutical Technology with Biopharmacy
- Clinical Pharmacy
- Hospital Pharmacy
Since 2022, the Department of Pharmaceutical Technologies has been a base for doctoral education in the PhD programme “Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy".
The department has the following laboratories for practical training of students and PhD candidates:
Unit of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy
Laboratory for Preparation of Extemporaneous Medicinal Forms
Used for seminars and practical exercises in Pharmaceutical Technology – Part I. It includes 12 fully equipped individual workstations with necessary raw materials and tools for ex tempore preparation of pharmaceutical powders, liquids, semi-solid dosage forms, suppositories, and pessaries. The lab is also equipped with audio-visual tools for seminars, presentations, and interactive learning.
Laboratory for Preparation of Phytopreparations
Used for preparation and control of herbal preparations. It has 12 workstations, herbal raw materials, and specialized equipment (e.g., fume hood, rotary vacuum evaporator) for preparation and quality control of herbal infusions, tinctures, extracts, and aromatic waters. Also equipped for seminars and presentations.
Clean Room
A demonstration sterile laboratory for training Pharmacy students in the preparation of sterile dosage forms – injection and infusion solutions, and eye preparations. It meets Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) requirements and includes a laminar airflow hood and equipment for preparation, sterilization, and quality control.
Laboratory for Solid Dosage Forms
Used for Pharmaceutical Technology – Part II and research activities. It has 12 individual workstations and audio-visual tools. Specialized equipment includes a single-punch tablet press, coating pan, capsule filling device, shelf dryer, and tools for raw material and in-process quality control. Devices for European Pharmacopoeia testing include:
- In vitro dissolution tester (Apparatus 2, Ph. Eur.)
- UV-Vis spectrophotometer
- Disintegration tester
- Friability tester
- Hardness tester
Two Research Laboratories
Equipped with a climate chamber for stability testing, UV/Vis spectrophotometer, viscometer, texture analyzer, lyophilizer, homogenizer, in vitro dissolution tester , centrifuges, analytical and moisture analyzers. Each lab has 5 workstations.
Unit of Radiopharmacy (based at University Hospital “St. Marina")
- Synthesis Laboratory – used for preparing 68Ga-labeled radiopharmaceuticals (e.g., 68Ga-DOTATATE, 68Ga-PSMA) with a GPR4V SCINTOMICS synthesis module in a TEMA Sinergie hot cell.
- Sample Preparation Laboratory
- Quality Control and Dosimetry Laboratory – includes HPLC SCINTOMICS SCI8100 with UV/Vis and radioactivity detection, GC SCINTOMICS SCI6500 with FID detection, TLC scanner LapLogic ScanRam, endotoxin test equipment, and general lab instruments. Also available are CANBERA 2000 multichannel analyzer, dispenser, dose calibrators, dosimetry, and radiometry devices.
- Cyclotron Complex – includes an ABT7.5/BG-10 cyclotron and radiochemical synthesis module for 18F radiopharmaceuticals, with an automated quality control system.
Published Teaching Materials
- Viliana Gugleva, Ivaylo Pehlivanov, Mirena Dobreva, Nadezhda Ivanova, Stefan Stefanov, Velichka Andonova. Test Questions for Self-Study in Pharmaceutical Technology for Pharmacy Students. Part I, 2020, Publisher: Medical University – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-259-9
- Viliana Gugleva, Ivaylo Pehlivanov, Mirena Dobreva, Nadezhda Ivanova, Stefan Stefanov, Velichka Andonova. Test Questions for Self-Study in Pharmaceutical Technology for Pharmacy Students. Part II, 2020, Publisher: Medical University – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-264-3
- Titeva S., Gugleva V., Dobreva M. Workbook for Practical Exercises in Pharmaceutical Technology, Part I. Calculations in Pharmaceutical Technology. Powders, 2017, Publisher: Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-079-3
- Titeva S., Gugleva V., Dobreva M. Workbook for Practical Exercises in Pharmaceutical Technology, Part II. Liquid Dosage Forms. Solutions, Emulsions, Suspensions, 2017, Publisher: Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-080-9
- Titeva S., Gugleva V., Dobreva M. Workbook for Practical Exercises in Pharmaceutical Technology, Part III. Mixtures. Phytopreparations, 2018, Publisher: Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-125-7
- Titeva S., Gugleva V., Dobreva M. Workbook for Practical Exercises in Pharmaceutical Technology, Part IV. Dosage Forms for Dermal, Rectal and Vaginal Application, 2018, Publisher: Medical University “Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-126-4
- Nadezhda Ivanova, Velichka Andonova. Workbook in Biopharmacy, 2023, Publisher: Medical University – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-460-9
- Maria Dangova, Viliana Gugleva, Nadezhda Ivanova, Yoana Sotirova, Velichka Andonova. Workbook on Drug Technology with Biopharmacy for Second-Year Students, Specialty “Assistant Pharmacist", 2024, Publisher: Medical University – Varna, ISBN: 978-619-221-514-9
