THE STEPHAN ANGELOFF INSTITUTE OF MICROBIOLOGY, BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

Their core work

The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology is Bulgaria's leading research centre in microbiology, parasitology, and epidemiology, operating under the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Their real-world work centres on understanding foodborne diseases, zoonotic infections, and antimicrobial resistance — topics at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. They also contribute to plant systems biology through their involvement in establishing a new regional research centre (PlantaSYST) aimed at translating fundamental plant science into applied biotechnology. In the EU context, they bring deep domain expertise in microbial surveillance and disease control from a Southeastern European perspective, covering a geographic region often underrepresented in pan-European health monitoring networks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

The institute's H2020 trajectory shows a broadening from institution-building toward applied European research. The early phase (2015-2017) was dominated by the PlantaSYST Teaming initiative — a capacity-building effort to establish a plant biotechnology centre in Bulgaria, reflecting the Widening Participation agenda. From 2018 onward, the institute engaged directly in its core microbiological strengths through One Health EJP, bringing foodborne disease control, parasitology, and antimicrobial resistance surveillance into its EU project portfolio. This shift suggests the institute used Widening Participation as a springboard to then contribute its actual domain expertise to mainstream European research programmes.

Moving from institution-building projects toward direct scientific contribution in infectious disease surveillance and food safety — expect future involvement in AMR, zoonotic disease, and European health preparedness consortia.

How they like to work

IMicB operates exclusively as a participant or third party — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, which is typical for Widening Country research institutes building their EU track record. Despite only three projects, they have worked with 52 unique partners across 22 countries, reflecting the very large consortium structures of the EJP and Teaming programmes they joined. This means they are experienced in navigating complex multi-partner environments, but their influence within those consortia is likely as a specialist contributor rather than a strategic driver.

Through just three projects, IMicB has connected with 52 partners across 22 countries — a remarkably wide network driven by the large-scale One Health EJP and PlantaSYST consortia. Their geographic reach spans most of the EU, with no visible concentration beyond their Bulgarian base.

What sets them apart

IMicB offers a rare combination: deep microbiology and parasitology expertise from a Widening Country institution that has already proven it can operate within large European consortia. For consortium builders targeting Horizon Europe calls on food safety, AMR, or One Health, they provide both the scientific credibility of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and the geographic balance that reviewers value. Their dual track in microbiology and plant biotechnology also makes them unusually versatile for cross-disciplinary proposals linking food production with food safety.

Highlights from their portfolio

• One Health EJP
  A flagship European Joint Programme (2018-2023) integrating food safety, AMR, and zoonotic disease research across dozens of European institutions — IMicB's entry into core One Health research at European scale.
• PlantaSYST
  A two-phase Teaming project (CSA + main grant, EUR 1.4M to IMicB) establishing a new Centre of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology in Bulgaria — the largest single investment in the institute's H2020 portfolio.