Department of Hygiene, medical ecology , occupational diseases and disaster medicine

The Department of Hygiene, Medical Ecology, Professional Diseases and Disaster Medicine

Medicine has two divisions:

  • Division of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Professional Diseases
  • Division of Disaster Medicine

Division of Disaster Medicine

Sector of Disaster Medicine (DM) was established as a department in 1975.  Head of Department was prof. Hristo Nechev, DM, DSc. From 1989 to 2002  Head of Department was prof.  Pencho Salovsky,  MD, DSc. From 2002 to 2015  Head of Sector was assoc. prof Veneta Shopova, MD, PhD. Since 2015 Head of Sector is assoc. prof Violeta Dancheva, MD, PhD Since the establishment of the department  three dissertations have been defended – two for PhD and one for Doctor of Science. At present time two assoc. professors work at the sector.

Division of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Professional Diseases

The Division of Hygiene, Medical Ecology and Occupational Diseases works in two major branches: teaching of students and scientific researches. It afford an opportunity for specialization of Occupational medicine, General hygiene, Nutrition and dietetics, Communal hygiene, Hygiene of children and adolescent.

The basic fields of research activity are

  • Early biological effects in lungs in isolated and combined influence of chemical and radiation factors;
  • Role of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense system in combined damage of chemical and radiation factors;
  • Diagnostic value of some markers for cytotoxicity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in combined body damage;
  • Research of influence of antioxidants on some markers of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense system in rat lungs in conditions of oxidative stress;
  • Research of influence of antioxidants on some markers of inflammation and proliferation after total body gamma irradiation
    The academic staff was played a leading role in a joint scientific project (sponsored by EU) in collaboration with Great Britain National Board of Radiation Protection (1994 – 1995). Project findings were published in famous international and Bulgarian scientific journals.

The department staff has attended many national and international scientific events - meetings, forums and conferences, congresses etc.