Head of Laboratory:

Assoc. Proff. Stavri Toshkov, MD, PhD, Board-certified in the Medical Genetics

Staff:

Gueorgui Balatzenko, MD, PhD, Board-certified in Transfusion Hematology;

Angel Stoimenov, M.D.

Janin Stojanova, M.D.

Our mission:

The Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology performs highly specialized, patient-oriented studies on the cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities in hematological malignancies, that cover patients from National Center of Hematology and Transfusiology, as well as from other hospitals all over the country.

Activities:

The laboratory performs screening of cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities in peripheral blood and bone marrow samples from patients with hematological malignancies, thus providing diagnostic and prognostic criteria, allowing in addition for monitoring of treatment efficacy.

The main diagnostic techniques performed include:

-         karyotyping by G-banding technique, 

-         broad range of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based methods such as Reverse Transcription PCR; Nested-Primers PCR; Multiplex PCR; PCR-ELISA; in-cell RT-PCR.

Standard G-banded karyotyping detects many nonrandom numerical and structural aberrations in chromosomes, which are important in patient’s management. The molecular analysis supplements the results of cytogenetics, providing an additional information concerning the presence of various fusion transcripts in patients with normal karyotyping and precise the form of the rearrangement, which in some cases has prognostic value. In addition, the molecular approach is used for minimal residual disease studies, as well as for evaluation of MDR1 gene expression and for screening of pooled donor plasma for Hepatitis C Virus.

Facilities:

The laboratory is well equipped with standard cytogenetic and molecular biology equipment and has a highly qualified staff, which is trained or specialized in cytogenetics, molecular cytogenetics and molecular genetics. The laboratory is computerized and the results of the studies are kept in data base.

Contact:

NATIONAL CENTER OF HEMATOLOGY AND TRANSFUSIOLOGY

Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology

6, Plovdivsko pole Str.

1756, Sofia, Bulgaria

Phone: +359 2 96 900 39