Bulgaria

Christina N. Grupcheva earned her medical degree from the Medical University of Varna, in Varna, Bulgaria followed by specialist training in Ophthalmology in 1996. She then completed brief fellowships at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London and Dundee University in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Grupcheva relocated to New Zealand in 2000 and became a Senior Research Fellow at Auckland University and a Corneal Fellow at Auckland State Hospital. Professor Grupcheva completed a Ph.D. with high commendations and Best Doctoral Thesis Prize from Auckland University in 2002.

Upon her return to Varna she was appointed Associate Director of the Specialized Eye Hospital of Varna, and shortly after Associate Professor at the Medical University of Varna. In 2007, she was invited to complete a DSc, and in 2010 was elected full National Professor in Ophthalmology, and currently she is the Head of the “Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science,” and most recently Vice Rector with a focus on innovation and translational medicine. 

Professor Grupcheva’s clinical research interests and expertise are related to the cornea, anterior segment, tear film, in vivo confocal microscopy, contact lenses and complex anterior segment surgery. She has published more than 150 scientific papers, 14 ophthalmology books, has Hi index of 20 and more than 1100 citations over the last 15 years.

Professor Grupcheva actively participates as editor of American Academy of Ophthalmology textbooks, is reviewer for several prestigious journals, and teaches at all graduate and postgraduate levels.

She currently supervises 8 Ph.D. students and 12 residents in Ophthalmology, with many high commendation graduates at different levels. Dr. Grupcheva regularly presents as an invited lecturer at national and international meetings, and she is a member of a number of Bulgarian, European and International learned societies. Prof Grupcheva is a representative of Bulgaria in EBO and also currently President elect of the European Board of Ophthalmology.