Date and place of birth: 21 July 1950, Pernik, Bulgaria

Education

• 1971-1976 - MSc in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski', Faculty of Biology;
• 1986 - PhD in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. PhD Thesis: 'Ultrastructural changes of cell organelles under iron and boron deficiency', Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Foreign languages: English; Russian

Professional background

• 1977-1983 - Researcher, Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Department of Mineral Nutrition and Water Exchange;
• 1983-1986 - PhD Student, Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology;
• 1986-1997 - Research Associate, Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology;
• 1999-2003 - Head of Mineral Nutrition Laboratory, Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology;
• Since 1998 - Associate Professor, Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences;
• 2004-2006 - Scientific Secretary of the Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences;
• 2006-2010 - Vice-Director of the Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
• 2010 - Director of the Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.

• Member of the Union of Scientists in Bulgaria.
• Chairman of section 'Plant Physiology and Biochemistry', Union of Scientists in Bulgaria (since 2005).
• Member of Research Counsil of the Acad. M. Popov Institute of Plant Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
• Member of the Federation of European Societies of Plant Biology (FESPB).

International experience

• 2000 - Guest Professor in the University of Helsinki, Finland;
• 2002 - Guest Professor in Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.

Academic honors

• 1981 - Golden medal for the best young Bulgarian scientist, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Selected publications

Tzvetkova, N., S. Doncheva (1995-1996) - Photosynthetic activity and ultrastructure of bark chloroplasts at beech seedlings. In: Folia Dendrologica, 21-22, (Mlada, M. ed.), Veda, Publishing house of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, pp. 353-357.
Doncheva, S., B. Nikolov, V. Ogneva (1996) - Effect of copper excess on the morphology of the nucleus in maize root meristem cells. Physiology Plantarum, 96, 118-122.
Doncheva, S. (1997) - Ultrastructural localisation of Ag-NOR proteins in root plant meristem cells after copper treatment. J. Plant Physiol., 151, 242-245.
Doncheva, S., Zl. Stoyanova (1997) - Plant response to copper and zinc hydroxidesulphate and hydroxidecarbonate used as an alternative copper and zinc sources in mineral nutrition. Rom. Agricul. Research, 7-8, 15-20.
Stoyanova, Z., S. Doncheva, V. Georgieva, R. Joncheva (1997) - A possibility of using nydroxide mixed crystals as sources of cooper and zinc in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cultivation. Bulg. J. Plant Physiol., 23 (3-4), 3-13.
Doncheva, S. (1998) - Copper-induced alteration in structure and proliferation of maize root meristem cells. J. Plant Physiol., 153 (3-4), 482-487.
Doncheva, S., Zl. Stoyanova, L. Gradinarcki, G. Ignatov (1999) - Influence of succinate on zinc toxicity of Zea mays. In: Advances in plant physiology, Vol. 2, (A. Hemantaranjan, ed.), Scientific Publishers (India), JDOHPUR, pp. 253-261.
Stoyanova, Z., S. Doncheva, V. Georgieva (1999) - Application of hydroxidesalts of copper and zinc as microelement sources for germinating of lettuce seeds (Lactuca sativa). Compt. Rend. Acad. Bulg. Sci., 52, (11-12), 93-97.
Stoyanova, Z., S. Doncheva (2000) - Uptake and transport of Zn in zinc-sensitive Pisum sativum in presence of succinate. Compt. Rend. Acad. Bulg. Sci., 53, 9 , 73-76.
Doncheva, S., Z. Stoyanova, V. Velikova (2001) - The influence of succinate on zinc toxicity of pea plants. J. Plant Nutr., 24, 6, 789-806.
Doncheva, S., V. Vassileva, G. Ignatov, S. Pandev, R. Dris, R. Niskanen (2001) – Influence of nitrogen deficiency on photosynthesis and chloroplast ultrastructure in pepper plants. Agricultural and Food Science in Finland, 10, 59-64.
Doncheva, S. (2001) - Structural and ultrastructural changes in copper-treated maize plants. In: Achievement and perspective of water exchange and mineral nutrition of plants in Bulgaria, Sofia, 2, 16-21.
Stoyanova, Z., S. Doncheva (2002) - The effect of zinc supply and succinate treatment on plant growth and mineral uptake in pea plant. Braz. J. Plant Physiol.,14(2), 111-116.
Poschenrieder, C., S. Doncheva, F. Sonbol M. Amenos, J. Barcelo (2004) - Microtubule organization but not aTub 1 and aTub 3 expression are primary targets of aluminum toxicity in maze root tips. Nutricao Mineral Causas e consequencias da dependencia da fertilicas. ISBN 972-9348-11-1, 5-10.
Doncheva, S., C. Poschenrider, M. Amenos, J. Barcelo (2005) - Root cell pattern a primary target for aluminium toxicity in maize. J. Experimental Botany, 56, 414, 1213-1220.
Doncheva, S. et al. (2005) - Effects of Succinate on Manganese Toxicity in Pea Plants. J. Plant Nutrition, 28, 1-16.
Doncheva, S., Zl. Stoyanova, K. Georgieva, D. Nedeva, R. Dikova, G. Zehirov, A. Nikolova (2006) - Exogenous succinate increases resistance of maize plants to copper stress. J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci., 169, 247-254.
Dikova, R., S. Doncheva, Zl. Stoyanova (2006) - Influence of silicion pretreatment on ascobtic acid content and redox status in Mn-treated maize plant. Compt. Rend. Acad. Bulg. Sci., 58, 9 /in press/.