13–16 October 2026 | Sofia, Bulgaria
EATRIS Bulgaria welcomed Prof. Alain van Gool, Professor of Personalised Healthcare at Radboud University Medical Center and Chair of the EATRIS Biomarkers Platform, for a five-day programme in Sofia connecting science policy, education, biomarker translation, personalised healthcare and advanced computing.
Science policy and research infrastructures
The visit began on 13 October with a working meeting with Academician Nikolay Vitanov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science. Prof. van Gool was joined by Corresponding Member Prof. Soren Hayrabedyan and representatives of EATRIS Bulgaria. The discussion addressed the links between research, technological development, innovation and societal needs, as well as commitments under Bulgaria’s National Roadmap for Research Infrastructures, the participation of national consortia in pan-European research infrastructures, and opportunities for Bulgarian–Dutch cooperation.
Later that day, Prof. van Gool spoke in the Scientific Seminar series of the Faculty of Biology at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. His lecture explored how molecular omics technologies, biomarkers and the responsible use of artificial intelligence are advancing personalised healthcare. A central message was that translating discoveries into clinical benefit requires collaboration across disciplines and the active involvement of patients.
From biomarker discovery to clinical translation
On 14 October, researchers and clinicians gathered for the master class “Discovery, Development and Deployment of Innovative Biomarkers”, led by Prof. van Gool. Following his introductory lecture, participants examined three clinical applications:
- Prostate cancer: plasma miRNAs as complementary biomarkers, presented by Dr. Darina Kachakova;
- Adult acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: early detection of IKZF1 deletions to improve risk stratification, presented by Dr. Stefan Lozenov;
- Cervical cancer: biomarker correlations and the importance of a clearly defined context of use, presented by Dr. Eva Tsoneva.
The interactive discussions underlined that discovery is only the beginning: a promising biomarker must also demonstrate analytical robustness, clinical relevance and a realistic pathway towards implementation in healthcare. The master class was organised with the contribution of Prof. Radka Kaneva, Prof. Rossitza Konakchieva and colleagues, and was supported by the Science Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science within the framework of the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructures 2020–2027.
Collaboration for better healthcare
On 15 October, the programme included a partner visit to the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction “Acad. Kiril Bratanov” at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, which is also an EATRIS affiliated Institute. Prof. Alain van Gool toured the INFRAACT laboratories for genomics and single-cell transcriptomics, cell sorting, cell culture and 3D bioprinting, advanced bioimaging, protein analysis and cryopreservation.
The visit continued with a partner session hosted by Prof. Soren Hayrabedyan and attended by representatives of EATRIS Bulgaria, INFRAACT, Health & Life Sciences Cluster Bulgaria and AI Cluster Bulgaria. Discussions focused on strengthening Bulgaria’s capacity in translational medicine through high-throughput omics, advanced cellular technologies, data integration, machine learning and responsible AI, alongside opportunities for cross-sector projects, collaboration with European centres and interdisciplinary training for young researchers and bioinformaticians.
Later on the same day he delivered the lecture “Developing innovative solutions to healthcare challenges through collaboration: experience from the Netherlands” at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Drawing on Dutch experience, he discussed how research communities, interdisciplinary partnerships and the responsible use of data science and AI can help translate scientific advances into practical benefits for healthcare systems facing growing demands and limited resources.
Connecting biomedical research with AI and high-performance computing
The programme concluded on 16 October with a visit to the Discoverer+ supercomputer at Sofia Tech Park, initiated by Prof. van Gool. The EATRIS Bulgaria delegation included Prof. Rossitza Konakchieva, National Director; Prof. Soren Hayrabedyan, Director of IBIR-BAS; and Assoc. Prof. Georgi Nikolaev, National Coordinator.
The delegation was welcomed by Prof. Simeon Stoyanov, Manager of the Bulgarian AI Factory BRAIN++ and Business Development Director of Discoverer; Kiril Kirilov, Chief Operating Officer of Discoverer; and Mihail Iliev, Executive Director of the R&D&I Consortium at Sofia Tech Park. Discussions explored how advanced computational infrastructure could support AI-assisted biomarker discovery, multi-omics data integration, personalised medicine and advanced disease modelling.
Across five days, the visit connected decision-makers, researchers, clinicians and technology experts around a shared goal: moving excellent science towards solutions that can improve health. It also demonstrated the role of EATRIS Bulgaria and the INFRAACT community in building international partnerships and linking national capabilities with European translational medicine.
We thank Prof. Alain van Gool for his expertise, openness and commitment throughout the programme, and all participating institutions and colleagues for making the visit possible.
