Chief Assistant Professor at Medical University – Varna Prof. Dr. Paraskev Stoyanov, Bulgaria
Assist. Prof. Dr. Djeni Cherneva is a Bulgarian botanist specializing in medicinal plants, ethnobotany, and biodiversity, with a solid academic and research background in pharmaceutical botany. She earned her PhD in Botany from the Medical University of Varna in December 2017, completing a dissertation focused on the biodiversity and ethnobotanical application of medicinal plants from the North Black Sea wetlands, a region of critical ecological and therapeutic importance. Her academic journey began with a Master’s degree in Biology and Chemistry from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski,” where she established a strong foundation in plant sciences and natural compounds. She joined the Medical University of Varna in 2011 as an Assistant in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, where she taught Pharmaceutical Botany and contributed to strengthening practical and theoretical training for pharmacy students. Since 2018, she has served as a Chief Assistant Professor in the same department, actively expanding her research and teaching portfolio. Her scientific work encompasses the documentation, classification, and conservation of medicinal plant species, with special emphasis on traditional ethnobotanical knowledge and its relevance to modern pharmaceutical science. She has contributed substantially to understanding the therapeutic potential, ecological distribution, and sustainable use of medicinal flora, especially within wetland ecosystems. Her publications reflect multidisciplinary engagement with botany, pharmacognosy, and ecosystem dynamics, and she continues to collaborate with researchers on biodiversity protection and medicinal plant utilization. Dr. Cherneva’s scientific impact is evidenced by her citation record, with 70 citations (Google Scholar) and 61 citations (Scopus), an h-index of 6 and 5 respectively, and an i10-index of 3 and 2, underscoring the relevance of her studies in plant science, ethnobotany, and natural product research. Her contributions help bridge traditional botanical knowledge with contemporary pharmaceutical applications, supporting both scientific innovation and the preservation of biological heritage. She remains dedicated to advancing research on medicinal plants, promoting biodiversity conservation, and enriching academic excellence within pharmaceutical botany at the Medical University of Varna.
Featured Publications
Cherneva, D., Yaneva, G., & Ivanov, D. (2017). Ethnobotanical study of the attitudes towards herbal remedies and conventional medicines among local population of the North Black Sea Coast. Scripta Scientifica Pharmaceutica, 4(1), 29–32.
Cherneva, D., Yaneva, G., & Ivanov, D. (2017). Ethnobotanical study of the impact of certain demographic indicators on the attitudes towards the use of medicinal plants among local population of the North Black Sea coast. Scripta Scientifica Pharmaceutica, 4(1), 24–28.
Cherneva, D., Yaneva, G., & Ivanov, D. (2017). Which are the most popular medicinal plants in the area of the north Black Sea coast? Varna Medical Forum, 6(1), 166–171.
Yaneva, G., Dimitrova, T., Cherneva, D., Ivanova, N., Maslarski, I., Sivkov, S., … (2018). Comparative dermatoglyphic study of the palmar ridge count in breast carcinoma patients from Northeast Bulgaria. Acta Morphologica et Anthropologica, 25(1–2), 86–92.
Yaneva, G. A., Dimitrova, T. S., Cherneva, D. P., Ivanova, N. D., Fialkovska, N. A., … (2018). Quantitative dermatoglyphic study of the finger ridge count in breast carcinoma patients from Northeastern Bulgaria. Scripta Scientifica Salutis Publicae, 4, 51–55.
Cherneva, D., Yaneva, G., & Ivanov, D. (2017). Impact of demographic characteristics of the local population of the Northern Black Sea coast on the use of medicinal plants. Годишник на Софийския Университет „Св. Климент Охридски“, Биологически науки.
Cherneva, D., Ivanov, D., & Filipova-Marinova, M. (2015). Study of the current status of traditional knowledge about herbs and their use among the population of the Northern Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Scripta Scientifica Pharmaceutica, 2(2), 31.
Cherneva, D., & Ivanov, D. (2023). Traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in relation to local customs and practices of the North Black Sea Coast population. Acta Scientifica Naturalis, 10(2).