Sofia, Bulgaria
Associate Professor Dr. Mariya Hristova is a distinguished nephrologist and clinical immunologist with over two decades of professional experience in internal medicine, nephrology, and autoimmune kidney diseases. She currently serves as Associate Professor at the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Medical University–Sofia, and as a practicing nephrologist at the University Hospital “St. Ivan Rilski,” one of Bulgaria’s leading centers for nephrology and renal research.
Dr. Hristova graduated from the Medical University of Sofia in 2006 and subsequently obtained dual specializations in Immunology (2015) and Nephrology (2019). She earned her PhD in Medicine from the Medical University–Sofia with a dissertation entitled “Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Dermatomyositis – Immunological and Genetic Features.” Her academic and clinical background also includes training and professional experience in Germany and Switzerland, having completed residencies and fellowships at St. Marienhospital, NRW, Katholische Kliniken im Märkischen Kreis (Germany), and served as Assistant at the Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zürich.
Between 2008 and 2019, Dr. Hristova was actively involved in both clinical and academic work at University Hospital “Alexandrovska” in Sofia, serving as a physician, nephrology fellow, and researcher in the Departments of Nephrology, Clinical Laboratory, and Clinical Immunology. Since 2016, she has held a faculty position at the Medical University–Sofia, advancing from academic lecturer to her current role as Associate Professor.
Dr. Hristova is a member of the European Renal Association (ERA), the Bulgarian Society of Nephrology (BSN), the Bulgarian Association of Clinical Immunology (BACI), and the Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA). She previously served as Vice President of the Association of Medical Students in Bulgaria (AMSB) and as National Exchange Officer of the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA).
Fluent in Bulgarian, English, German, and Greek, Dr. Hristova continues to integrate her extensive clinical expertise with academic leadership and research innovation, contributing significantly to the advancement of nephrology and clinical immunology both in Bulgaria and internationally.