dr. Heliana Dundarova – speleologist
Big Hall
PhD in Zoology 2018
Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
PhD thesis title: “Phylogeny of Myotis mystacinus morphogroup (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Balkan Peninsula”
MA in Zoology 2011
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Prague, The Czech Republic
Master thesis title: “Phylogeography of Rousettus aegyptiacus in the Mediterranean region”
BA in Biology 2007
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Biology, Sofia, Bulgaria
PROJECTS
Project leader:
The role of the cave-dwelling bats as a vector and reservoir of the European lyssaviruses in Bulgaria December 2019 – Present
№ КП-06-Н31/14 from 11.12.2019 “National Science Fund”, Ministry of Education and Science, Bulgaria
Underground Habitats as a Unit for Conservation of Vulnerable Bat Communities in South-western Kyrgyzstan 2018-2019
Rufford 24890-1
Bat expert:
Exploring and mitigating the threat of Lloviu virus re-emergence in Central European Miniopterus schreibersii populations / Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2019-Present
EUROBATS
Bats and men – sharing LIFE under one roof 2018- Present
Life, Disney Conservation Fund
Sustainable bats conservation in the cross-border area (BatsConserv) 2018-2019
Interreg V-A «Greece-Bulgaria 2014-2020
NATURA 2000, Lot 5 (Bats) – Survey of bat habitats and determination of conservation status. 2012-2012
Ministry of Environment and Water, Dicon group
CURRENT POSITIONS
Chief Assistant at the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Reviewer at Environment and Ecology Research (Horizon Research Publishing)
Research interestsEcology, evolution, and conservation of Eurasian bats, with particular focus on the role of bats as hosts and vectors of RNA viruses.
