For the first time, a scientist from the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia with an award from the National Program “For Women in Science”

At the Fifteenth Ceremony of the National Program “For Women in Science”, which was held on 26 November 2025, in the “Prof. Marin Drinov” Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Assist. Dr Nia Toshkova from the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia was honoured for the project “The Antibody Repertoire of Bats in Bulgaria: From Zoonotic Diseases to Conservation Activities”. The award was presented by Vice President Iliana Yotova and Mr Maximiliano Frenza, General Manager for L’Oréal Adria-Balkan region.

Assist. Dr. Niya Toshkova is a researcher of bats and their related diseases. The current study, thanks to which she became the laureate of the award, is related to the simultaneous screening of IgG antibodies from a single sample to nearly 200 different pathogens. IgG antibodies serve as an “archive” of the immunological history of the organism, allowing detailed tracking of exposure to various pathogens with a minimal amount of sample. The main idea is to build a detailed profile of the antibody repertoire of bats in Bulgaria by comparing different habitats, colonies and age groups. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of the ecological and epidemiological factors shaping the immune response in bats. The method used is described in a recent publication in the prestigious journal EMI: Animal & Environment, in which Dr Toshkova is the lead author.

“For Women in Science” is a unique project for Bulgaria and the world, which has been carried out in partnership between Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, the National Commission for UNESCO in Bulgaria and L’Oréal Bulgaria since 2010. So far, the initiative has awarded a total of 42 female researchers with a total prize fund of 210 000 euros, thus encouraging the development of women in science and promoting their contribution to society.

More information about “For Women in Science”.