Medical University - Varna: Enhancement of Translational Excellence Achievement in Medicine (MUVE-TEAM)
The Medical University "Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov" - Varna (MUV), is the largest research center in North-Eastern Bulgaria. More than 800 highly qualified researchers work at MU Varna, focused on the following priority areas:
1) Food and nutrition
2) Regenerative medicine
3) Neurosciences
4) Oncology and rare diseases
5) Prevention, and management of diseases and health systems.

In the present project, we propose the development of a Strategic Research Program in the priority areas of MU Varna by the following approaches:
1) Supporting the research of leading scientific groups of MU Varna, which will enhance their excellence to the world standards in the relevant scientific field, will further increase the competences of their researchers and the visibility of their scientific output, as well as they will develop their innovation potential by implementing the results of their work in practice;
2) Attracting external for MU Varna researchers at world level to establish a group at MU Varna and to contribute to the further development of the university;
3) Setting up a wide-range program of international contacts, including visits to leading foreign laboratories and organization of major international scientific conferences;
4) Supporting research projects with innovation potential at MU Varna;
5) Protecting the intellectual property and technology transfer of MU Varna researchers. The implementation of the program will support a minimum of 6 scientific groups at the MU Varna, will attract a minimum of 3 new leading specialists and create a scientific team around them, will finance a minimum of 10 innovative scientific projects and increase the publication activity of the university by a minimum of 20% by the end of the reporting period. As a result, MU Varna will raise the level of its scientific research, will expand the volume, horizons and possibilities of its scientific potential and will develop from a regional leader within Bulgaria into a prominent scientific and innovation hub in Southeastern Europe.

 

General objectives
1) Increasing the level of scientific developments at the university in the priority directions (i) Food and nutrition, (ii) Neurosciences, (iii) Regenerative medicine and implantology, (iv) Oncology;
2) Expanding the network of scientific contacts of researchers from the university and positioning it as a center of regional scientific networks;
3) Developing the innovation potential of researchers at the university;
4) Protection of intellectual property of university developments and technology transfer to practice.

Specific goals
1) In the "Food and Nutrition" area
- identification of new biomarkers for cardiometabolic diseases
- isolation of bioactive substances of natural origin that have potential for control and prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases
- early detection of risk cohorts of patients and intervention through the application of nutritional supplements
- creation of new multifunctional nutritional supplements based on micro- and nanocarriers of biologically active substances;
2) In the field of "Neurosciences"
- the nutritional status of children with the most common neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood
- new data on the molecular mechanisms of cerebral cortex development
- new methods for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea;
3) In the field of "Regenerative Medicine and Implantology"
- creation of implants in the field of dentistry, orthopedics and ophthalmology
- cultivation of limbal stem cells for restorative purposes
- creation of a platform for testing drugs, medical devices and other methods on cell cultures;
4) In the field of "Oncology"
- creation of new approaches to the early diagnosis of cancers through liquid biopsies
- innovative imaging diagnostics in breast cancer
- creation of a prototype system for 3D micro-X-ray imaging for early imaging diagnostics.

In addition to increasing the scientific capacity, the project aims to significantly expand the network of partnerships of researchers from the MU Varna by organizing scientific visits to leading partnering foreign laboratories, as well as by organizing at the MU Varna international scientific events at the world level. These activities will expand the international visibility of the research carried out at the MU Varna and will favor the development of the international contacts of the researchers at the university. In addition, the project aims to provide financial and logistical support for scientific developments with innovation potential in the MU Varna, which will be selected on a competitive basis and increase the translational potential of the research work at the university. The project will also support actions to protect the intellectual property of scientific developments at MU Varna by the Department of Technology Transfer and Innovation (DTTI) at the university, as well as the implementation of training, consulting and coordination activities for the technological transfer of scientific production at MU Varna.
As a result, the project proposal aims to turn the MU Varna into a world-class science and innovation center.