Dr. Monika Todorova

Positions: Postdoctoral researcher

Department: Plant Cell Biotechnology, CPSBB

Dr. Monika N. Todorova is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Center of Plant Systems Biology and Biotechnology (CPSBB), Plovdiv, Bulgaria, and a Research Assistant at the Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her research focuses on the biological activity of natural products and their potential to promote healthy ageing and longevity.

Her scientific interests are centered on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying ageing and their modulation by natural compounds and bioactive leads. In particular, her research focuses on mechanisms involved in the maintenance of the proteostasis network, with a particular interest in the autophagy–lysosomal pathway and mitochondrial function, as well as their interplay with cellular stress responses and metabolic homeostasis.

A major focus of her research is the identification of natural products with geroprotective potential using Caenorhabditis elegans as an established model organism for ageing research. Her work aims to investigate how bioactive compounds influence lifespan, healthspan, stress resistance and metabolic homeostasis, and to elucidate the conserved molecular pathways underlying their biological effects.

Scopus: www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57353210000

ORCID: www.orcid.org/0009-0000-2892-7420

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/monika-todorova-586923228

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS:

Todorova M.N., Savova M.S., Binev B.K., Georgiev M.I. (2026) The chemically defined herbal mixture ADAPT-232 delays mitochondrial dysfunction and promotes healthspan through mitophagy-related pathways mediated by the DAF-16/NHR-49 axis. Phytomedicine. 153: 157944. IF 11.3

Krustanova S., Todorova M.N., Gerasimova V., Savova M.S., Stoyanov S., Popova M.P., Georgiev M.I., Alipieva K. (2026) Stress endurance mediates the healthspan-promoting effect of two newly described iridoid glycosides from Verbascum nigrum ssp. abietinum in Caenorhabditis elegans. Phytomedicine. DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2026.157944. IF 11.3

Todorova M.N., Dyankov S., Savova M.S., Todorova V., Georgiev M.I., Ivanova S. (2026) Echinophora tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana modulates stress response and mitochondrial quality under glucose stress in Caenorhabditis elegans. Antioxidants. 15(3): 398. IF 8.2

Priboyska K., Todorova M.N., Gerasimova V.I., Savova M.S., Krustanova S., Petkova Z., Stoyanov S., Popova M.P., Georgiev M.I., Alipieva K. (2025) Phytochemical Profiling and Anti-Obesogenic Potential of Scrophularia aestivalis Griseb. (Scrophulariaceae). Molecules. 30(21): 4202. IF 5.1

Savova M.S., Todorova M.N., Binev B.K., Georgiev M.I., Mihaylova L.V. (2025) Curcumin enhances the anti-obesogenic activity of orlistat through SKN-1/NRF2-dependent regulation of nutrient metabolism in Caenorhabditis elegans. International Journal of Obesity. 49(3): 516–526. IF 5.4

Todorova V., Todorova M.N., Savova M.S., Ivanov K., Georgiev M.I., Ivanova S. (2025) Maral root extract and its main constituent 20-Hydroxyecdysone enhance stress resilience in Caenorhabditis elegans. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 26(8): 3739. IF 5.6

Todorova M.N., Savova M.S., Mihaylova L.V., Georgiev M.I. (2024) Icariin improves stress resistance and extends lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans through hsf-1 and daf-2-driven hormesis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 25(1): 352. IF 4.9

Todorova M.N., Savova M.S., Mihaylova L.V., Georgiev M.I. (2024) Punica granatum L. leaf extract enhances stress tolerance and promotes healthy longevity through HLH-30/TFEB, DAF16/FOXO, and SKN1/NRF2 crosstalk in Caenorhabditis elegans. Phytomedicine. 134: 155971. IF 8.3

Todorova M.N., Savova, M.S., Mihaylova L.V., Georgiev, M.I. (2024) Nurturing longevity through natural compounds: Where do we stand, and where do we go? Food Frontiers. 5(2): 267-310. IF 6.9