The Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology is the largest medical-biological department of the Medical University "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" - Varna, an authoritative center for teaching and research activities. Until 1973 it existed as two separate departments - the Department of Anatomy and the Department of Histology and Embryology. In 1973 they were merged into the Department of Anatomy and Histology, later renamed the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology. And by the decision of the Academic Council, as of 3.07.2017, it is called the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology. The new organizational form provides for the integrated study of the human body at its various levels of organization for teaching, clinical and research purposes.
The Department of Anatomy was founded in 1962. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vanko Vankov was elected as its first head. Already at this stage of the organization of the educational process, along with the furnishing of classrooms, laboratories and offices, special attention was paid to the construction of a teaching museum collection of original bone-joint and corrosion preparations. It is supplemented and enriched with new types of preparations and is highly appreciated by our and foreign specialists. In the following years (1963-1972), normal X-ray anatomy was introduced into the teaching of anatomy and intensive research activity in the field of vascular morphology began.
The Department of Histology and Embryology was also established in 1962. Three years later, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emmanuil Chakarov was elected as the head, who raised the level of teaching and expanded research activities. A study room with an exposition of colour photographs of histological preparations with explanatory texts was organised. In 1972, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Viktor Dokov became the head of the department.
From 1973 to 1988 the united Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology was headed by Prof. Dr. Vanko Vankov. The establishment and functioning of an electron microscopy laboratory at the Department (1981) was of great significance for further ensuring the high level of scientific work.
After the retirement of prof. Prof. Dr. Georgi Marinov (1988-1990). In the period 1990-1992 the head was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zdravko Nanov. After him, until 2000, the position was taken over by Prof. Dr. Spasimir Nikolov. During this period, a number of professors participated in the development of international projects and were guest lecturers at foreign universities. The teaching, museum and histological collections of the department were enriched with computer tomograms and histological preparations.
From 2000 to 2005 the Head of the Department was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Marinov. The infrastructure of the department was improved - a new floor was built, two new halls were equipped - microscopic and for virtual training in anatomy "Leonardo da Vinci", monitors connected to a central projection system were installed in the study halls.
For the period 2005-2008 the head of the department is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yonko Yonkov. The high level of teaching work in microscopic anatomy is ensured by new, well selected high quality micrographs, electrongrams and schemes.
In the period 2008-2012 the head of the department was Assoc. Prof. Dr. Minko Minkov. During this period, another multifunctional teaching room was organized for holding macroscopic and microscopic anatomy exercises and lecture courses.
The appointment of Assoc. Anton B. Tonchev as head of the department in 2012 coincides with the intensive development of MU-Varna as an international center for medical and dental education in medicine and dental medicine in English language. In the period 2014-2024 the scientific infrastructure was expanded with new equipment, and new laboratories “Molecular Biology and Bioimprinting" and “Cell Culture Laboratory" were opened.
In 2014-2024 new assistant professors were recruited to the department from several consecutive graduating classes of MU-Varna. Prof. Dr. A. Atanasova, gastroenterologist, joined as associate professor at the department. I. Stoyanova-van der Laan, a lecturer and researcher with many years of experience, after many years of work in the Netherlands also was elected as an associate professor.
In this period а successful viva for the appointment of a scientific and educational degree doctor defended consecutively D. Marinova (2014), Dr. M. Angelova (2015), Dr. V. Zhekova (2019), Dr. D. Stoyanov (2022), Dr. M. Zhelezov (2024), Dr. B. Parvanov (2024), Dr. M. Ivanov (2024) and Dr. P. Valchanov (2024). Dr. S. Pavlov (2017), Dr. M. Angelova (2024) and Dr. D. Marinova (2024) have been awarded the academic position of Associate Professor. Assoc. Prof. A. Tonchev (2013), Assoc. Prof. V. Goranova (2015) and Assoc. Prof. A. Atanasova (2024) acquired the academic position "Full Professor".
As of 2025, the academic staff of the Department numbers 17 full-time lecturers and 5 temporary lecturers. All of them meet every semester with more than 1500 students from different majors, who undergo their studies in the disciplines taught in the department.
The Department has 5 microscopy teaching halls, and a dissection sector equipped according to modern standards. Five scientific laboratories are organized and equipped in the Department: “Histology and Histochemistry", “Bioprinting, Tissue Engineering and Molecular Biology", “Cell Culture and Cell Biology", “Microscopy and Photomicrography" and “Macroscopic Anatomy".
Since 2024 the department has been headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr Stoyan Pavlov, MD, PhD.
