Education:
1986 "D. I. Mendeleev" Professional School of Chemistry – Varna
Higher education:
2020 Specialization in the Healthcare system “Theoretical Foundations of Medical Chemistry", Medical University – Varna
2014 PhD degree, Medical University – Varna
2016 Master of Science “Organic chemistry" Shumen University, Faculty of Natural Sciences
1993 Master of Science “Biotechnology" University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy- Sofia Faculty of Organic technology
Scientific degrees and academic positions:
2005 Chief-Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University – Varna
2018 Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University – Varna
2024 until now Professor (full), Head of Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University – Varna,
Areas of professional interest:
Analysis of lipids, lipid classes, fatty acids, sterols in aquatic animal (marine lipids) and plant species.
Analysis of fatty acids (free and esterified) in biological samples (blood serum, plasma, hepatic homogenate) associated with the studies of metabolic syndrome
Instrumental methods for analysis: Chromatography, Spectroscopy, Mass spectrometry
Specializations and work abroad:
N/A
Participation in contracts, projects, programs
Project No. 3.4.13. Medical University - Varna: Enhancement of Translational Excellence Achievement in Medicine (MUVE-TEAM); National Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Republic of Bulgaria, European Union-NextGenerationEU. BG-RRP-2.004-0009-C02
KP-06-OPR-03/11: Biological activity and functional properties of Black Sea shellfish tissues (Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chamelea gallina and Donax trunculus) as sources of natural nutraceuticals; 2018-2021. National Science Fund, Ministry of Education and Science
DM09/2: Seasonal variations in lipid profile and thermal stress effect on the lipid composition of Black sea Mytilus galloprovincialis and Rapana venosa; 2016-2018. National Science Fund, Ministry of Education and Science
Merdzhanova A., Dobreva D.A., Panayotova V., Peycheva K., Hristova T., Stancheva R. Chamelea gallina from the Black Sea (Bulgaria) as a sustainable source of macronutrients and fat-soluble vitamins, (2024) Bulgarian Chemical Communications, 56, pp. 66 – 70, DOI: 10.34049/bcc.56.D.S2P42
Peycheva K., Panayotova V., Hristova T., Merdzhanova A., Dobreva D., Stoycheva T., Stancheva R., Licata P., Fazio F. Metal Content, Fatty Acid and Vitamins in Commercially Available Canned Fish on the Bulgarian Market: Benefit–Risk Ratio Intake, (2024) Foods, 13 (6), art. no. 936, DOI: 10.3390/foods13060936
Panayotova V., Merdzhanova A., Dobreva D.A., Peycheva K., Stoycheva T. Chlorella and Spirulina dietary supplements as sources of biologically active lipids, (2024) Bulgarian Chemical Communications, 56, pp. 148 – 151, DOI: 10.34049/bcc.56.D.S2P64
Gentscheva G., Nikolova K., Panayotova V., Peycheva K., Makedonski L., Slavov P., Radusheva P., Petrova P., Yotkovska I. Application of Arthrospira platensis for Medicinal Purposes and the Food Industry: A Review of the Literature, (2023) Life, 13 (3), art. no. 845, DOI: 10.3390/life13030845
Peycheva K., Panayotova V., Stancheva R., Merdzhanova A., Dobreva D., Parrino V., Cicero N., Fazio F., Licata P. Seasonal Variations in the Trace Elements and Mineral Profiles of the Bivalve Species, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chamelea gallina and Donax trunculus, and Human Health Risk Assessment, (2023) Toxics, 11 (4), art. no. 319, DOI: 10.3390/toxics11040319
Peycheva K., Panayotova V., Stancheva R., Makedonski L., Merdzhanova A., Parrino V., Nava V., Cicero N., Fazio F. Risk Assessment of Essential and Toxic Elements in Freshwater Fish Species from Lakes near Black Sea, Bulgaria, (2022) Toxics, 10 (11), art. no. 675, DOI: 10.3390/toxics10110675
Peycheva K., Panayotova V., Stancheva R., Makedonski L., Merdzhanova A., Cammilleri G., Ferrantelli V., Calabrese V., Cicero N., Fazio F. Effect of steaming on chemical composition of Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis): Evaluation of potential risk associated with human consumption, (2022) Food Science and Nutrition, 10 (9), pp. 3052 – 3061, DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.2903
Peycheva K., Panayotova V., Stancheva R., Makedonski L., Merdzhanova A., Cicero N., Camilleri G., Fazio F. Trace elements and omega-3 fatty acids of black sea (Bulgaria) bivalve species Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chamelea gallina and Donax trunculus. Human health risk, (2022) Natural Product Research, 36 (11), pp. 2735 – 2742, DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2021.1921770
Panayotova V., Merdzhanova A., Stancheva R., Dobreva D.A., Peycheva K., Makedonski L. Farmed mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Black Sea reveal seasonal differences in their neutral and polar lipid fatty acids profile, (2021) Regional Studies in Marine Science, 44, art. no. 101782, DOI: 10.1016/j.rsma.2021.101782
Merdzhanova A., Panayotova V., Dobreva D.A., Peycheva K. Can fish and shellfish species from the black sea supply health beneficial amounts of bioactive fatty acids?, (2021) Biomolecules, 11 (11), art. no. 1661, DOI: 10.3390/biom11111661
Peycheva K., Panayotova V., Stancheva R., Makedonski L., Merdzhanova A., Cicero N., Parrino V., Fazio F. Trace elements and omega‐3 fatty acids of wild and farmed mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) consumed in Bulgaria: Human health risks, (2021) International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (19), art. no. 10023, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910023
Dobreva D.A., Panayotova V.Z., Merdzhanova A.V., Stancheva R.S., Peycheva K. Preliminary study of phenolic content in farmed mytilus galloprovincialis from the black sea coast, (2020) Bulgarian Chemical Communications, 52, pp. 253 – 256
https://scholar.google.bg/citations?user=AunTdPEAAAAJ
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Albena_Merdzhanova2
https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/251627
