Nikolay Petrov

Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Petrov, PhD is an Associate Professor at the Department of Natural Sciences, New Bulgarian University (NBU). He serves as Director of the Academic Council for Biological Sciences and teaches courses including Virology, Molecular Biology, and Plant Protection. With expertise in plant virology and RNA interference, Petrov has contributed to understanding viral resistance mechanisms in crops.

• Education: PhD in Plant Protection (Phytopathology - Plant Virology, 2012), PhD in Biological Sciences (Virology, 2016)
• Research Focus: Plant virus management through gene silencing, viral transmission mechanisms, and sustainable agricultural biotechnology
• Projects: Participated in 21 scientific projects (3 international, 8 national, 5 local) and coordinated 2 national projects
• Specializations: Molecular virus identification (Hamburg, Germany), dsRNA production (Helsinki, Finland), real-time PCR (UK), and bioinformatics (Lithuania)

His scientific work emphasizes RNA interference applications for controlling plant viruses like Potato virus Y in Solanaceae crops. Publications span gene silencing techniques, viral epidemiology, and bioinformatic analyses of plant pathogens. He is affiliated with international organizations including The American Phytopathological Society and International Society for Horticultural Science.