CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME: Ivan Nikifirov Minkov
DATE AND PLACE OF BIRTH: December 21, 1949, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Children: Nikifor Ivanov Minkov, 26 years, graduated BSc in Economics;
Georgi Ivanov Minkov, 17 years, (Third year at English School).
NATIONALITY: Bulgarian
EDUCATION: University of Plovdiv, Biological Faculty, Bulgaria.
DEGREES: BS and MSc. in Biology, Ph.D., DSs (Doctor of Sciences).
POSITIONS HELD: Associate Professorship, Full Professorship.
MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS:
1. Member of the Bulgarian Union of Scientist,
2. Member of the European Association on Photobiology,
3. Member of the Scandinavian Society of Plant Physiology,
4. Member of the European Society of Plant Physiology (FESPP).
LANGUAGES:
English - writing, speaking, and understanding - very well.
Russian - writing, speaking, understanding - perfect.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

1972 Technical assistance fellowship, Department of Biochemistry, University of Plovdiv,
1973 Technical assistance fellowship, Tobacco Research Institute, Dept. of Plant Physiology
1974 - 1977 Ph.D. Student, Department of Plant Physiology, University of Plovdiv.
1977 - Ph.D. in Biology
1978-1980 - Assistant Professorship in Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology.
April, 1988 - A course on fluorescence in the Perkin-Elmer Training Center, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, U.K.
1980-1987 - Lecturer in Molecular Biology.
1983 Guest Researcher, Gothenburg University, Plant Physiology Dept., Botanical Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden.
1986-1987 Guest Researcher, Gothenburg University, Plant Physiology Dept., Botanical Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) fellowship.
1988 - Associate Professorship in Molecular Biology, Department of Plant Physiology, University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
14 days in 1988, 10 days in 1989, 20 days in 1992 - Guest Researcher, Gothenburg University, Plant Physiology Dept., Botanical Institute, Gothenburg, Sweden.
20 days in 1987, 14 days in 1989, 10 days in 1990 - Guest Researcher, Institute of Photobilogy, Minsk, Belorusia.
1989 ?2002 - Head of the Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology Department, University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
1994 - D.Sc. in Biology
1995 - 1999 Deputy Dean of Biological Faculty, University of Plovdiv
1996 - Full Professor Fellowship in Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology.
1996-1998 Coordinator of a JEP on EC-TEMPUS Program - Introducing MSc on Plant Biotechnology in higher education in Bulgaria (480 000 Euro for 3 years). With: Free University, Department of Genetics, Amsterdam, Netherlands, University of Gent, Laboratory of Genetics in Flemish Institute of Biotechnology, Belgium; University of Gothenburg, Department of Plant Physiology, Sweden.
1996-1999 - Local coordinator JEP on EC TEMPUS Program (11281-96) - Introduction of a Bachelor Degree in Biotechnology (about 380 000 Euro for 3 years). With: UMIST - Department of Molecular Genetics, Manchester, U.K.; University of Crete, Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Biology; AGRENA - France; Institute of Molecular Parasitology and Biomedicine, Grenada, Spain.
1998-1999 - Coordinator of a CME project on EC-TEMPUS Program - Institutional Self-Evaluation System in Two Bulgarian Universities .With: Kings College, London, U.K., CNE, Paris, France. (34 000 Euro for 1 year).
1999-2001 Local coordinator JEP on EC TEMPUS Program - Introducing MSc degree on Molecular and Cell Biology in Bulgarian Universities (140 000 Euro for 2 years).
1998 - Member of the Supreme Certifying Commission at the Council of Ministers - for certifying of Scientific Degrees and Position in science and education in Bulgaria.
1995-2001 Number of missions in different Universities in Europe, connected with the projects from European Community Program TEMPUS for restructuring of the higher education in Bulgaria ? Germany, Belgium, France, Greece, U.K., Netherlands, Spain (see above).

PARTICIPATION IN CONGRESSES AND SYMPOSIA

1983 Symposium Photomorphogenesis in Plants, Frostavalen, Sweden.
1983 Photosynthesis Congress, Brussels, Belgium.
1983 Symposium Protochlorophyllide Reduction and Greening, Brussels, Belgium.
1985 Symposium Photomorphogenesis in Plants, Vageningen, Holland.
1988 - XXV Symposium on Photosynthesis Research, 10-15 Oct., Tolbukhin, Bulgaria.
1989 Satellite Meeting of the Photosynthesis Congress Regulation of synthesis and assembly of pigment-protein complexes, Hindos, Sweden.
1990 Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, 24-29 Sept., Minsk, Belorusia.
1994 - Tenth Balkan Biochemical and Biophysical Days, Varna, 22-25 May, Bulgaria.
1995 - Workshop Stress Physiology and Plant Growth Regulators. 12-16 Sept., Varna. Bulgaria.
1998 - Fourth International Workshop on Orobanche Research, 23-26 September, Albena, Bulgaria.
1998 - Congress of Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology, (FESPP), September, 1998, Varna, Bulgaria.
2001 ? Meeting “Together in the Future”, 17-22 January, Tübingen, Germany. Conference for cooperation between Baden-Würtemberg Universities, Eastern Europe Universities, and the Swiss National Science Fund.

TEACHING AND ORGANISING TRAINING EXPERIENCE:

1. Supervisor of 6 Ph D students (four already defended their Ph.D. theses).
2. Supervising and training of assistants (lecturers).
3. Organization of advanced courses for Ph D. students and undergraduate students, including teaching - e.g. molecular biology, cell-and tissue culture, cell biology, plant molecular genetics, molecular plant development, molecular evolution.
4. Organizing a Bachelor Degree in Biotechnology at Biological Faculty, University of Plovdiv.
5. Organizing a Masters Degree in Plant Biotechnology at Biological Faculty, University of Plovdiv
6. Organizing a Bachelor Degree in Molecular and Cell Biology at Biological Faculty, University of Plovdiv
7. Organizing a laboratory of Plant Genetic Engineering at the Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology.
8. Organizing a laboratory of Molecular Biology and Lecture Hall at the Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology.
9. Head of a group for Self-evaluation and Institutional Accreditation at the Faculty of Biology.

LECTURES, LABORATORY COURSES AND SEMINARS

• Molecular Biology - full lecture course with seminars (60 h lectures + 15 h of seminars)
• Molecular Genetics - full lecture course with seminars (45 h lectures + 15 h of seminars)
• Cell Biology (delivered for 5 years - 1991-1995, 60 h lectures)
• Plant Physiology and Plant Biochemistry - practicals.
• Genetic Engineering (delivered for 1 year - 1990, 45 h lectures)
• Chloroplast Development in Higher Plants - postgraduate course (45 h lectures, 15 h seminars).
• Molecular Evolution ? to start September, 2002- for a MSc course in Cell and Molecular Biology

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

From 1973 to 2000 participation and leadership in different research projects on the following subjects:
• - Chloroplast Development and Chlorophyll Synthesis
• - Physiology, Biochemistry and Cell Ultrastructure Higher Plants
• - Photosynthesis and Productivity of Higher Plants
• - The Distribution of Photosynthetic Products in Higher Plants
• - Regulation of Nitrate Reduction and Nitrate Reductase and Activity in Higher Plants.
• - Decrease of Free Nitrates in Vegetables by Means of Exogenous Treatment.
• - Use of DNA markers in taxonomy of parasitic plants (Orobanche).
• - Molecular Basis of Plant Stress Response ? Photooxidative Stress in Higher Plants.

SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS:

Chloroplast Development - Synthesis of Chlorophyll Pigments and Related Proteins in Developing Plant Plastids; Ultrastructural Changes in Developing Plastids; Regulation of Nitrate Reductase and NADPH-Protochlorophyllide Reductase Activity in Higher Plants as NADPH-depending Enzymes; Molecular Conformation and Localization of Membrane Proteins; Molecular Basis of Plant Stress Response; Use of DNA markers in Molecular taxonomy of Parasitic Plants.

LIST OF SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

1. Denev, I., Minkov, I. Use of fluorescence probes ANS and pyrene for studying the localization of proteins in inner membranes from wheat etioplasts. Photosynthetica, 1997, 33 (2), 303-312, 1997.
2. Denev, I., Minkov, I., Sundqvist, C., Savchenko, G.E. Kluchareva, E.A. Changes in the localization of the proteins in isolated inner membranes from wheat etiochloroplasts under irradiation measured by 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate and pyrene. J. Plant Physiol, 150, 668-673, 1997.
3. Denev I., Jahoubjan G., Minkov I., Sundqvist C., Light-induced changes of protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase organization in prolamellar bodies, isolated from etiolated carotenoid-deficient wheat plants, revealed by fluorescence probes, BBA ?Biomembranes ? submitted.
4. Gechev, T. I. Gadjev, F. Van Breusegem, D. Inzé, S. Dukiandjiev, V. Toneva, I. Minkov. Hydrogen peroxide protects tobacco from oxidative stress by inducing a set of antioxidant enzymes. CMLS, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 59: 708-714, 2002.
5. Getchev, T., H. Willekens, M.Van Montagu, D. Inzé, W. Van Camp, V. Toneva, I. Minkov. Different responses of tobacco antioxidant enzymes to light and chilling stress. J. Plant Physiology, 160, 509-515, 2003.
6. Gechev, T., I. Gadjev, S. Dukiandjiev, I. Minkov. Reactive oxygen species as signaling molecules controlling stress adaptation and programmed cell death in plants. In Handbook of Photosynthesis. Second Edition. M. Pessarakli, (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 2005, in press.
7. Gozmanova, Mariyana, Michela Alessandra Denti, Ivan N. Minkov, Mina Tsagris, and Martin Tabler. 2003. Characterization of the RNA motif responsible for the specific interaction of potato spindle tuber viroid RNA (PSTVd) and the tomato protein Virp1. Nucleic Acids Res., 31(19): 5534-5543.
8. Jahoubjan, G., Minkov, I. Enhanced chlorophyll accumulation after flash irradiation of etiolated wheat plants treated with SAN-9789. J. Plant. Physiol., 151, 649-653, 1997.
9. Koleva, A., Toneva, V., Minkov, I. Photodynamic effect of 2,2'-dipyridyl and glutamic acid on wheat and vegetable marrow plants. Photosynthetica, 31, 2, 189-196, 1995.
10. Minkov, I, Jahoubjan, G., Toneva, V. Photooxidative Stress in Higher Plants. In Handbook of Plant and Crop Sress, M. Pessarakli, (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1999, 499-525.
11. Minkov, I. Chloroplast Development in Higher Plants. In Handbook of Photosynthesis. M. Pessarakli, (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1996, 553-573.
12. Minkov, I. Currant Advances in the Chloroplast Development in Higher Plants. In Handbook of Photosynthesis. Second Edition, M. Pessarakli, (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 2005, in press.
13. Minkov, I. N., Ryberg, M., Sundqvist, C. Properties of reformed prolamellar bodies from illuminated and redarkened etiolated wheat plants, Physiol. Plant., 72, 725, 1988.
14. Minkov, I., A. Ljubenova. Parasitic Flowering Plants from Genus Orobanche. Molecular Evolution, DNA Markers, and Physiologic Relation with the Host Plants. In Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology, M. Pessarakli, (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 789-802, 2001.
15. Minkov, I., Denev, I. Photosynthetic membranes of Higher Plants. In Handbook of Plant and Crop Physiology. M. Pessarakli, (Ed.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 2001, 281-297.
16. Minkov, I., Sundqvist, C., Ryberg, M. Protochlorophyllide and chlorophyllide in reformed prolamellar bodies and thylakoids of irradiated dark-grown wheat. J. Plant Physiol., 141, 708-713, 1993.
17. Minkov, I., Sundqvist, C., Ryberg, M. Spectral changes of chlorophyll pigments in irradiated reformed prolamellar bodies isolated from wheat etiochloroplasts. Photosynthetica, 23, 3, 306, 1989.
18. Ryberg, M., Minkov, I. Characteristics of in-vivo reformed prolamellar bodies after isolation, in Advances in Photosynthesis Research, Vol. 4, Sybesma, C., Ed., Martinus Nijhoff/Dr W. Junk Publishers, The Hague/Boston /Lancaster, 1984, 633.
19. Savchenko, G.E., Kluchareva, E.A. Abramchik, L.M., Serduchenko, E.V., Minkov, I.N., Chajka, M.T. Protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase in the process of greening in barley seedlings. Plant Phisology (Rus.). 42, 4, 559-566, 1995.
20. Toneva V., N. Shalygo, E. Yaronskaya, N. Averina, I. Minkov. Influence of photodynamic processes induced by 2,2'-dipyridyl on the enzymatic system of chlorophyll biosynthesis. Photosynthetica, 34, 4, 555-560, 1997.
21. Toneva, V., T. Gechev, I. Minkov. Induction of porphyrine biosynthesis by d-aminolevulinic acid, glutamic acid and 1,10-phenantroline and their possible photodynamic action in wheat and mustard plants. Photosynthetica, 39 (4): 597-601, 2001.
22. Toneva, V., Koleva, A., Minkov, I. Influence of glutamic acid and 2’,2’-dipyridyl on the protochlorophyllide and protoporphyrine-IX accumulation and their photodynamic action in green monocotyledons and dicotyledons. J. Plant. Physiol., 150, 57-62, 1997.
23. Toneva, V., N.V. Shalygo, V.V. Voronetskaya, N,G. Averina, T. Gechev, I. Minkov. Investiga-tion of the porphyrinogenesis in barley leaves incubated with Mn2+ cations and d-aminolevulinic aci. J. Plant Physiology, 159, 1047-1053, 2002.
24. Yahubyan, G. I. Minkov, C. Sundqvist. Carotenoid dependence of protochlorophyllide phototransformation in dark-grown wheat seedlings. Photochem. Photobiol., 65, 171-176, 2001.

1. Doushkova, P., Todorova, A., Jekov, J., Minkov, I. Plant Physiology. A Laboratory Manual, Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 1983, 264.
2. Todorova, A., Doushkova, P., Jekov, J., Minkov, I., Koleva, A. Field Experiments in Plant Physiology. A Laboratory Manual, Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 1985, Second Edition, 86.
3. Minkov. I. Molecular Biology. Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 1986, 230.
4. Minkov. I. Molecular Biology. A Laboratory Manual, Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 1986, 94.
5. Doushkova, P., Todorova, A., Jekov, J., Minkov, I. Plant Physiology. A Laboratory Manual, Sofia University Press, Sofia, Second Edition, 1992, 360.
6. Minkov. I. Molecular Biology. Sofia University Press, Sofia, Second Edition, 1992, 356.
7. Minkov, I. An Introduction to Cell Biology. Polygraph Press, Plovdiv, 1992, 64.
8. Minkov, I. Molecular Biology. A Laboratory Manual, Sofia University Press, Sofia, Second Edition, 1993, 210.
9. Minkov. I. Molecular Biology. Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 3rd Edition, 2002 (In press).
10. Minkov, I. Molecular Genetics. Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 2002 (In press).
11. Minkov, I. Molecular Evolution. Plovdiv University Press, Plovdiv, 2002 (In press).
 

SELECTED CONGRESSES, SYMPOSIA

1. Minkov, I., Ryberg, M. Pigments and proteins in reformed prolamellar bodies. Proceedings of the Eur. Symp. Photomorfogenesis in Plants, Frostavalen, Sweden, 19-23 July, 83, 1983.
2. Minkov, I. Influence of chloramphenicol and cycloheximide on the formation of photosynthetic apparatus during the greening of etiolated wheat plants. Proceedings of the European Symposium Photomorphogenesis in Plants. Wageningen, Holland,15-19 April, 1985.
3. Minkov, I. N., Ryberg, M., Sundqvist, C. Changes in the pigment forms and polypeptide composition in isolated and reformed prolamellar bodies from wheat etioplasts after illumination. Proceedings from XXV Symposium on Photosynthesis Research, 10-15 Oct., Tolbukhin, 1988.
4. Minkov, I. N., Ryberg, M., Sundqvist, C. Changes in the pigment forms and polypeptide composition in isolated and reformed prolamellar bodies from wheat etioplasts after illumination. Procceedings from XXV Symposium on Photosynthesis Research, 10-15 Oct., Tolbukhin, 1988.
5. Minkov, I. On the localization of the enzyme PChlide-oxidoreductase in the reformed PLBs by immuno-gold labelling. Regulation of synthesis and assembly of pigment-protein complexes. Satelite meeting at Hindas, August,1-13, 1989. Abstracts.
6. Fradkin, L.I., Jahubjan, G., Domanskyi, V.P., Kolyago, V.M., Minkov, I. Photoreduction of of exogenous protochlorophyllide from the barley photosynthetic membranes. Proceedings of the Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, Minsk, Belorusia. 24-29 Sept., 1990, Minsk, Belorusia.78-82.
7. Jahubjan, G., Kolyago, V.M., Minkov, I., Fradkin, L.I. Total protein measurement in probes, containing membranes, and plant pigments using the dye binding method. Proceedings of the Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, Minsk, Belorusia. 24-29 Sept., 1990, Minsk, Belorusia., 82-83.
8. Minkov, I. Characterization of the main pigment precursors, proteins and the ultrastructural changes in reformed prolamellar bodies in wheat. Plenary Lecture, Proceedings of the Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, Minsk, Belorusia. 24-29 Sept., 1990, Minsk, Belorusia.
9. Minkov, I., Denev, I. Changes in the inner etioplast membranes conformation during greening, investigated by means of fluorescence probes. Proceedings of the Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, 24-29 Sept., 1990, Minsk, Belorusia.
10. Minkov, I., Karachomakova, G. Influence of lincomicyn on the protochlorophyllide resinthesis in wheat leaves. Proceedings of the Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, Minsk, Belorusia. 24-29 Sept., 1990.
11. Minkov, I., Denev, I. Changes in the inner etioplast membranes conformation during greening, investigated by means of fluorescence probes. Procceedings of the Second Congress of the Plant Physiology Society in USSR, Minsk, Belorusia. 24-29 Sept., 1990, Minsk, Belorusia.
12. Minkov, I., Savchenko, G. The inner membrane system of etioplasts on early stages of pigment apparatus biogenesis. Plenary lecture. Symposium Chlorophyll. Stricture, biosynthesis, function. Minsk, 28-29.04.1993, Minsk, Belorusia.
13. Koleva, A., Toneva, V., Minkov, I. Investigation of the photodynamic effect of 2,2'-dipyridyl and glutamic acid on wheat and pumpkin leaves. Tenth BBBD, Varna, 22-25 May, 1994, Abstracts, 212.
14. Minkov, I., Toneva, V. Jahubijan, G. Localization of NADPH-protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase in the etiochloroplast inner membranes in reetiolated wheat leaves, revealed by immuno-gold labeling Tenth BBBD, Varna, (Oral presentation), 22-25 May, 1994, Abstracts, 38.
15. Denev, I., Minkov, I. Changes in the localization of the proteins in isolated inner membranes from wheat etiochloroplasts under irradiation, measured by the fluorescence probes 1-anilino-8-naphtalene sulphonate and pyrene. Tenth BBBD, Varna, 22-25 May, 1994, Abstracts, 141.
16. Averina, N., Minkov, I., Shalygo, N., Toneva, V., Yaronskaya, E. Investigation of the photosynthetic stress, induced by porphyrines on the early stages of chlorophyll biosynthesis. Workshop Stress Physiology and Plant Growth Regulators. 12-16 Sept., 1995, Varna.
17. Jelijazkov, I., Minkov, I. Membrane associated nitrate reductase: some new data about its localization and the mode of regulation in the higher plants. Tenth BBBD, Varna, 22-25 May, 1994, Abstracts, 199.
18. Averina, N., Minkov, I., Shalygo, N., Toneva, V. Involvement of Mn2+ in regulation of porphyrinogenesis. Workshop Stress physiology and Plant Growth Regulators. 12-16 Sept., 1995, Varna.
19. Denev, I., Kluchareva, E.A., Minkov, I., Savchenko, G.E. Influence of pyrene on the internal membranes system of wheat etioplasts. Molecular and cell basics of biosystems functioning. Second Symposium of the Belorussian Society of Photobiology and Biophysics. Minsk, Belorus, 25-27 June, 1996, Proceedings.
20. Denev, I., Minkov, I., Sundqvist, C., Savchenko, G.E. Investigation of the organization of the internal etioplast membrane using fluorescence probe laurdan. Molecular and cell basics of biosystems functioning. Second Symposium of the Belorussian Society of Photobiology and Biophysics. Minsk, Belorus, 25-27 June, 1996, Proceedings.
21. Toneva, V., Minkov, I., Mackender, R. Influence of the level of soil nitrogen on the chlorophyll content and the photosynthesis in wheat leaves. Molecular and cell basics of biosystems functioning. Second Symposium of the Belorussian Society of Photobiology and Biophysics. Minsk, Belorus, 25-27 June, 1996, Proceedings.
22. Ljubenova, A. Minkov. I. Conservative spots in the chondriome and plastome of five Orobanche ecotypes. Fourth International Workshop on Orobanche Research, 23-26 September, 1998, Albena, Bulgaria. Proceedings.
23. Ljubenova, A. Minkov. I. Five Orobanche Ecotypes - What is the Difference? Fourth International Workshop on Orobanche Research, 23-26 September, 1998, Albena, Bulgaria.
24. Ljubenova, A., Minkov, I. Trays-growth system for studying the physiological interaction between Orobanche and Lycopersicon. Congress of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Physiology, September, 1998, Varna, Bulgaria.

Patent - No 60 672/05.02.1996. (54) Preparation for regulation of the nitrate content in the higher plants. BG 60672 B1.
Patent No 60 673/05.02.1996. (54) Preparation for regulation of the nitrate content in the higher plants. BG 60673 B1.

CERTIFICATE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR PRODUCTION OF NITROPYRIN® - for decreasing the free nitrates in salad, cucumber and other vegetables. Issued on the basis of the two patents, medical tests, field tests, technology etc.).