Boriana Marintcheva, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Biology Department of Biological Sciences Room 309 Conant Science Building Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA 02325 Tel: (508) 531-1729 Fax: (508) 531-1785 E-mail: Boriana.Marintcheva@bridgew.edu

 

Boriana Marintcheva received her B.S./M.S. degrees in Biochemistry and teaching  Biology and Chemistry from Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria and  her Ph.D. from University of Connecticut-Health center, Farmington, Connecticut. Following graduate school she completed a postdoctoral fellowship studying bacteriophage T7 replication at Harvard Medical School, Boston. She joined the faculty of Bridgewater State University in the Fall of 2008 as an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, where she currently teaches Introductory Biology, First Year Seminar, Cell Biology and Virology.

Dr. Marintcheva’s research interests focus on the biology of virus-host interactions using bacteriophage (bacterial virus) T7/ Escherichia coli model system. Knowledge about the specifics of virus-host interactions in different systems has allowed the development of preventive and therapeutic measures aimed at diminishing the negative impact of viruses on human health, and using viruses for practical purposes such as biotechnology and drug delivery.

While bacterial viruses are harmless to humans, they function in similar ways to animal viruses and often employ simpler molecular machinery. Historically, many aspects of viral biology were initially understood using bacteriophages and then applied to the more complex systems of animal viruses. In her research Dr. Marintcheva uses techniques from molecular biology, genetics and biochemistry. She hopes to involve BSU students in her research program and share her knowledge and enthusiasm for science.

 

 

Areas of expertise:

 

Cellular and Molecular Biology

Virology

Viral replication

 

Courses taught:

 

BIOL 100 General principles of Biology

BIOL 199 Viruses and cells

BIOL 200 Cell Biology

BIOL 450 Virology

 

Degrees:

 

BS/MS  Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria , 1988-1993, Biochemistry and Microbiology; Teaching Biology and Chemistry

 

Ph.D. University of Connecticut – Health Center, 1997-2002, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

 

Postdoc Harvard Medical School, 2003-2008, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular  Pharmacology

 

Last Modified: January 9, 2012