Head of the group
Assist. Prof. Dr. Nikolay Grozev
Group members
Prof. DSc. Konstantin Balashev
Assist. Prof. Dr. Kristina Mircheva
Assist. Prof. Dr. Petar Georgiev
Assist. Prof. Dr. Silviya Simeonova
Prof. DSc Ivan Panaiotov (Emeritus)
Prof. DSc Christian Vassilieff (Emeritus)
Prof. Dr. Tzvetanka Ivanova (Emeritus)
Research interests
Study of the state, electrical and rheological properties of the model 2D-systems: monolayers, liposomial bilayers and suspensions. Interfacial and temporal organization of the lipolysis. Mechanisms of degradation of the polyesters and lipid micro- and nano-capsules. Photochemical reactions at the interface. State, electrical and rheological properties of the biopolymer model monolayers from the plant kingdom. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
International cooperation
Laboratory of Enzymology at Interfaces and Physiology of Lipolysis, CNRS, Marseilles, France
Laboratory of Particle Vectorisation, University of Angers, France
Laboratory of Enzyme Design, Novo Nordisk, Denmark
Nanoscience Center, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Teaching activity
The Laboratory is engaged in the education of students from all academic levels
B. Sc. courses
Lectures and practical exercises in: physical chemistry and colloidal chemistry
M. Sc. courses
Master program: Biophysical Chemistry in Medicine and Pharmacology
Lectures and practical exercises in: Biophysical Chemistry, Colloidal dispersions in medicine and pharmacy
Master Thesis
PhD Thesis
Selected papers
Georgiev, P., Simeonova, S., Mihaylov, L., Nihtianova, D., Balashev, K., “Study of the Kinetics of Nucleation and Growth of Silver Nanoparticles: UV-Visible Spectroscopy vs. Atomic Force Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy”, Comptes Rendus de L'Academie Bulgare des Sciences, Volume 77, Issue 9, Pages: 1277 – 1284, 2024, doi:10.7546/CRABS.2024.09.02
Karakashev, S. I., Ivanova-Stancheva, D., Grozev, N. A., Mircheva, K., “Behavior of froth in absence and presence of particles”, Minerals Engineering, Volume 212, Pages: 108715-0, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2024.108715
Eftekhari, M., Schwarzenberger, K., Karakashev, S. I., Grozev, N. A., Eckert, K., “Oppositely charged surfactants and nanoparticles at the air-water interface: Influence of surfactant to nanoparticle ratio”, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Volume 653, Part B, Pages: 1388-1401, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.09.038
Teodosiev, D., Bouzekova-Penkova, A., Simeonova, S., Grozev, N., “Contact angle and AFM analysis of glassy carbon coatings after an extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS)”, Comptes Rendus de L'Academie Bulgare des Sciences, Volume 76, Issue 2, Pages: 256 – 263, 2023, doi: 10.7546/CRABS.2023.02.10
Tsenova-Ilieva, I., Simeonova, S., Karova, E., “Atomic force microscopy study on the effect of different irrigation regimens on the surface roughness of human root canal dentin”, Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, Volume 25, Issue 3, Pages: 261 – 266, 2022, doi:10.4103/njcp.njcp_1379_21
Mircheva, K., Grozev, N., Petrova, S. D., Ivanova, Tz., Panaiotov, I., Balashev, K. T., “The enzymatic action of Vipoxin on insoluble long-chain phospholipid Langmuir monolayers”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Volume 629, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127469
Stoyanova, D., Stambolova, I., Shipochka, M., Boshkova, N., Simeonova, S., Grozev, N., Avdeev, G., Dimitrov, O., Boshkov, N., “Protective efficiency of ZrO2/chitosan “sandwich” coatings on galvanized low-carbon steel”, Coatings, Volume 11, Issue 9, Article number 1103, 2021, doi: 10.3390/coatings11091103
Georgiev, P., Simeonova, S., Tsekov, R., Balashev, K., “Dependence of Plasmon Spectra of Small Gold Nanoparticles from Their Size: an Atomic Force Microscopy Experimental Approach”, Plasmonics, Volume 15, Issue 2, Pages: 371 – 377, 2020, doi: 10.1007/s11468-019-010344
Georgiev, P., Chanachev, Al., Simeonova, S., Mihaylov, L., Nihtianova, D., Ivanova, Tz., Balashev, K., “A new method for studying the kinetics of synthesis of gold nanoparticles in hexadecylanilin monolayer at the air/water interface by means of atomic force microscopy”, Comptes Rendus de L'Academie Bulgare des Sciences, Volume 73, Issue 2, Pages: 197 – 202, 2020, doi:10.7546/CRABS.2020.02.07
Anchev, B. A., Tsekova, D. S., Mircheva, K. M., Grozev, N. A., “Monolayer formed by l-Asp-based gemini surfactants self-assembled in 1D nanostructures”, RSC Advances, Volume 9, Issue 57, Pages: 33071-33079, 2019, doi: 10.1039/C9RA06390K
Simeonova, S., Georgiev, P., Exner, K.S., Mihaylov, L., Nihtianova, D., Koynov, K., Balashev, K., “Kinetic study of gold nanoparticles synthesized in the presence of chitosan and citric acid”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Volume 557, Pages: 106 – 115, 2018, doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2018.02.045
Chanachev, S. Al., Simeonova, S.S., Georgiev, P.D., Ivanova, Tz. N., Petrova, S.D., Balashev, K.T., “Characterization by atomic force microscopy of gold nanoparticles functionalized with azocasein for protease colorimetric enzyme assay”, Bulgarian Chemical Communications, Volume 50, Issue 2, Pages: 223 – 227, 2018
Tsekov, R., Georgiev, P., Simeonova, S., Balashev, K., “Quantifying the blue shift in the light absorption of small gold nanoparticles”, Comptes Rendus de L'Academie Bulgare des Sciences, Volume 70, Issue 9, Pages: 1237 – 1246, 2017, doi: 10.48550/arXiv.1702.04513
Chanachev, Al., Simeonova, S., Georgiev, P., Balashev, K., Ivanova, Tz., Panaiotov, I., “Monolayer kinetic model of formation of gold nanoparticles by reducing agents hexadecylaniline or bovine serum albumin”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Volume 508, Pages: 1 – 7, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2016.08.005
Georgiev, P., Simeonova, S., Chanachev, Al., Mihaylov, L., Nihtianova, D., Balashev, K., “Acceleration effect of copper (II) ions on the rate of citrate synthesis of gold nanoparticles”, Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Volume 494, Pages: 39 - 48, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2015.12.031
Panaiotov, I., Ivanova, Tz., Balashev, K., Grozev, N., Minkov, I., Mircheva, K., “Interfacial reorganization of molecular assemblies used as drug delivery systems”, Chemistry: Bulgarian Journal of Science Education, Volume 24, Issue 6, Pages: 891-921, 2015
K. Mircheva, M. Gonnet, K. Balashev, Tz. Ivanova, F. Boury, I. Panaiotov, “Properties of -carotene and retinoic acid in mixed monolayers with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and Solutol”,Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochem Eng Aspects, .460 (2014) 209.
Tz. Ivanova, K. Mircheva, K. Balashev, I. Minkov, P. Saulnier and I. Panaiotov, “Interfacial behavior of lipid nanocapsules spread on model membrane monolayers”, Coll. Polym. Sci, 292 (6) (2014) 1307.
A.C.Groo, K. Mircheva, J. Bejaud, C. Aihas, I.Panaiotov, P. Saulnier, Tz. Ivanova, F. Lagarce, - Development of 2D and 3D Mucus Models and Their Interactions with Mucus Penetrating Paclitaxel- loaded Lipid Nanocapsules, Pharmaceutical Research, 31 (7) (2014) 1753.
I. Minkov, K. Mircheva, N.Grozev, Tz. Ivanova, I. Panaiotov – Properties of mixed monolayers of clinical lung surfactant, serum albumin and hydrophilic polymers, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 101 (2013) 135-142.
P. Georgiev, A. Bojinova, B. Kostova, D. Momekova, T. Bjornholm, K.Balashev, „Implementing atomic force microscopy (AFM) for studying kinetics of gold nano-particle's growth” Colloids Surf A: Physicochem Eng Aspects, 434 (2013) 154
K. Mircheva, Tz. Ivanova, I. Panaiotov, R. Verger, ”Hydrolysis of mixed monomolecular films of tricaprylin/dilauroylphosphatidylcholine by lipase and phospholipase A2”, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces , 86 (2011) 71.
K. Balashev, Tz.Ivanova, K. Mircheva, I.Panaiotov, „Savinase proteolysis of insulin Langmuir monolayers studied by surface pressure and surface potential measurements accompanied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging” Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 360 (2) (2011) 654.
K. Mircheva, Tz. Ivanova, I. Panaiotov, V. Dusel, F. Boury, “Enzymatic proteolysis of alfa gliadin monolayer spread at the air water interface”, J. Coll.Int. Sci., 347 (2010) 69.
K. Mircheva, I. Minkov, Tz. Ivanova, I. Panaiotov, J.E.Proust, R. Verger, “Comparative study of lipolysis by PLA2 of DOPC substrates organized as monolayers, bilayer vesicles and nanocapsules”,Colloids and Surfaces B:Biointerfaces, 67 (2008) 107.
I. Minkov, Tz. Ivanova, I. Panaiotov, J. Proust, P. Saulnier, “Reorganisation of lipid nanocapsules at air-water interface: 1. Kinetics of surface film formation” Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 45 (2004) 32.
N.Grozev, V..Aguié-Béghin, Tz.Ivanova, S.Baumberger, B.Cathala, R.Douillard, I.Panaiotov,“State, electrical and rheological properties of model and dioxan isolated lignin films at the air-water interface” Coll. Polym. Sci., 280 (2002) 798.
I. Panaiotov, R. Verge, “Enzymatic reactions at the interface”, in Physical Chemistry of Biological Interfacers, ed. by W. Norde and A. Baszkin, Elzevier (2000), 359.
C.Vassilieff, I.Panaiotov, E. D. Manev, J.E. Proust and Tz. Ivanov, “Kinetics of liposome disintegration from foam film studies: Effect of the lipid bilayer phase state” Biophysical Chemistry: 58 (1996) 97.