Kiril Bratanov
Encyclopedia
Kiril Tsochev Bratanov (1911-1986) was a prominent Bulgarian biologist and pioneer in the area of immunology of reproduction.
He was born on March 5, 1911, in the town of Lukovit
, Bulgaria
, and studied veterinary medicine at the University of Sofia. After receiving his doctoral degree in 1935, he spent two years as a veterinarian in the village Dermantsi. His academic career began in 1940 when he became Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sofia. Between 1948 and 1976, he was Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Artificial Insemination at the School of Zootechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences in Sofia. Kiril Bratanov also held positions as President of the University of Agricultural Sciences (1956-1962) and Vice-President of the Bulgarian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (1962-1972). From 1976 until his death in 1986, he was Director of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
In 1967, he became a full member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
(Academician
). He was also elected Honorary Member of the French Academy of Veterinary Sciences, the German Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine, the Spanish Royal Academy of Veterinary Sciences, the Italian Society of Veterinary Science, and the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the Soviet Union.
Between 1943 and 1986, Kiril Bratanov was director of the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction and Development of Organisms at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
. Today the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. Kiril Bratanov" bears his name in honor of his contributions to science.
In September 1967, Kiril Bratanov and his closest collaborators, after intensive correspondence with other researchers in reproductive immunology, convened the First Symposium on Immunology of Spermatozoa and Fertilization in Varna, Bulgaria. Participants from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, France, UK, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, USA, USSR, and Yugoslavia attended the symposium. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
were also represented. During the symposium, the International Coordination Committee for Immunology of Reproduction (ICCIR) was founded.
In 1969, ICCIR held a smaller meeting on "Immunology and Reproduction" at the WHO headquarters in Geneva and elected the ICCIR Steering Committee with Kiril Bratanov as president. The main aim of ICCIR has been to coordinate research in the area of reproductive immunobiology across the world and to periodically hold international symposia in Varna, Bulgaria, which have become a major forum in the area of experimental and clinical reproductive biology and immunology in humans and animals. In honor of its founder and past president, ICCIR awards the medal "Kiril Bratanov" (shown on the right) to researchers with outstanding contributions to reproductive immunobiology. The 12th International Symposium for Immunology of Reproduction was held in June 2009 in Varna, Bulgaria.
At the 3rd symposium on Immunology and Reproduction in 1975, the International Society for Immunology of Reproduction (ISIR) was founded at the proposal of Kiril Bratanov who was elected as its first president and served until 1983. At the 3rd ISIR Congress in 1986 in Toronto, Professor Rupert Billingham, an immunologist and one of the pioneers in organ transplantation, said:
"Let us never forget that, was it not for Bulgaria, was it not for our dear friend Kiril, we would have never gathered here as a research community to deal with such an important problem for humanity, the immunology of reproduction..."
He was born on March 5, 1911, in the town of Lukovit
Lukovit
Lukovit is a town in northern Bulgaria, part of Lovech Province. It is situated on both banks of the Zlatna Panega between the Danubian Plain and the foot of Stara Planina. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 9,630 inhabitants....
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and studied veterinary medicine at the University of Sofia. After receiving his doctoral degree in 1935, he spent two years as a veterinarian in the village Dermantsi. His academic career began in 1940 when he became Assistant Professor at the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry at the School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sofia. Between 1948 and 1976, he was Professor and Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Artificial Insemination at the School of Zootechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences in Sofia. Kiril Bratanov also held positions as President of the University of Agricultural Sciences (1956-1962) and Vice-President of the Bulgarian Academy of Agricultural Sciences (1962-1972). From 1976 until his death in 1986, he was Director of the Department of Biological Sciences at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
In 1967, he became a full member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
(Academician
Academician
The title Academician denotes a Full Member of an art, literary, or scientific academy.In many countries, it is an honorary title. There also exists a lower-rank title, variously translated Corresponding Member or Associate Member, .-Eastern Europe and China:"Academician" may also be a functional...
). He was also elected Honorary Member of the French Academy of Veterinary Sciences, the German Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine, the Spanish Royal Academy of Veterinary Sciences, the Italian Society of Veterinary Science, and the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the Soviet Union.
Between 1943 and 1986, Kiril Bratanov was director of the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction and Development of Organisms at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
. Today the Institute of Biology and Immunology of Reproduction "Acad. Kiril Bratanov" bears his name in honor of his contributions to science.
In September 1967, Kiril Bratanov and his closest collaborators, after intensive correspondence with other researchers in reproductive immunology, convened the First Symposium on Immunology of Spermatozoa and Fertilization in Varna, Bulgaria. Participants from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, France, UK, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, USA, USSR, and Yugoslavia attended the symposium. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
were also represented. During the symposium, the International Coordination Committee for Immunology of Reproduction (ICCIR) was founded.
At the 3rd symposium on Immunology and Reproduction in 1975, the International Society for Immunology of Reproduction (ISIR) was founded at the proposal of Kiril Bratanov who was elected as its first president and served until 1983. At the 3rd ISIR Congress in 1986 in Toronto, Professor Rupert Billingham, an immunologist and one of the pioneers in organ transplantation, said:
"Let us never forget that, was it not for Bulgaria, was it not for our dear friend Kiril, we would have never gathered here as a research community to deal with such an important problem for humanity, the immunology of reproduction..."
Important Works
- Kyril Bratanov: Biobibliography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, 1984.