Vessela Balabanova-Bozushka

**Vessela Balabanova-Bozushka** is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia. She holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Botany and has been affiliated with the institution since 2000. Her research focuses on phytochemistry, chemophenetics, and the sustainable use of medicinal plants.

**Education**: Graduated from the Faculty of Biology, Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ (1999). Specialized in Medicinal Plants and Natural Products at Medical University-Sofia.

**Research Interests**: Investigation of plant secondary metabolites, antioxidant properties, and cultivation techniques. Key areas include Asteraceae family species (e.g., Arnica montana, Cirsium appendiculatum) and Balkan flora.

**Projects**: Involved in over 20 scientific projects funded by Bulgarian institutions. Notable contributions include studies on chemophenetic analysis of Senecioneae tribe and phytochemical profiling of medicinal plants.

**Awards**: While no explicit awards listed, she serves as a guest editor for *Plants* and *International Journal of Molecular Sciences*, and a reviewer for *Molecules* and *Biochemical Systematics and Ecology*.

**Grants & Advising**: Supervisor of student research. Coordinates projects on metabolite identification (Medical Science Council grants D-102/2021, D-119/2020) and phytopharmacological potential of Asteraceae (MU-Sofia grant D-222/2018).

**Labs/Teams**: Active in interdisciplinary teams focusing on phytochemistry and metabolomics within the Department of Pharmacognosy.