Prof. Dr.Ruzha Pancheva, MD, PhD

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Who we are

The child nutrition research group at the Medical University of Varna, Bulgaria, led by Prof. Ruzha Pancheva, MD, PhD, specializes in pediatric nutrition, child growth and development, and the prevention of childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases. Prof. Pancheva is a long-standing collaborator of UNICEF, giving the group a direct channel for policy translation and stakeholder engagement in Bulgaria and Southeast Europe.

What we offer

Through recent infrastructure investment (Nutrilect project), we operate a fully equipped body composition and physical capacity laboratory, including air-displacement plethysmography (BOD POD), cycle ergometry, and hand-grip dynamometry — enabling gold-standard outcome assessment in pediatric studies, beyond BMI-based measures. We contribute to consortia as:

• A pediatric study site with access to child and family populations in an under-represented Southeast European setting with high childhood obesity rates;

• A measurement and phenotyping partner (body composition, muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness, growth, dietary assessment);

• Expertise in design and evaluation of nutrition and lifestyle interventions in children, including infant and young child feeding;

• A policy and dissemination pathway via our UNICEF collaboration.

As a Widening-country institution, we also strengthen the geographic balance of consortia.

What we are looking for

We seek a partner role in consortia preparing Horizon Europe 2027 proposals under Cluster 1 (Health — particularly child and adolescent NCD prevention, obesity, healthy development) and Cluster 6 (healthy and sustainable diets). We are also open to Hop-On opportunities in running projects and to leading institutions interested in a Twinning partnership to build a center of excellence in pediatric body composition and nutrition research.