History of the Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology The Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology was established in 1923 with the founding of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (FVM). Due to a lack of qualified Bulgarian instructors, the Faculty Council initially invited Dr. Hans Reimer, chief assistant at the corresponding department at the Veterinary School in Leipzig, Germany, to serve as professor and head of the department. However, he later declined, and Dr. Heinrich Bitner from Berlin was appointed as associate professor and head. He led the department from 1925 to 1928, being promoted to full professor in 1927, before continuing his career in Berlin. From 1929 to 1931, the department was headed by (Prof.) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudolf Züpel, who joined from the Veterinary School in Giessen, Germany. After his return to Germany, Assoc. Prof. (later Prof.) Dr. Mosko Moskov became head of the department. He had been appointed the first regular assistant in 1926 on the recommendation of Assoc. Prof. H. Bitner. In 1945, the department was split into two independent units: the Department of Anatomy of Domestic Animals, led by Prof. Dr. Asen Petkov (also appointed as regular assistant in 1926), and the Department of Histology and Embryology, led by Prof. Dr. Mosko Moskov. In 1957, Prof. Dr. Stefan Ivanov was appointed head of the Department of Anatomy, serving until his retirement in 1974.

After the FVM relocated to Stara Zagora in 1974, Prof. Dr. Tsenko Gigov, the first in Bulgaria to defend a doctoral dissertation in veterinary medicine, became head of the Department of Anatomy of Domestic Animals and retired in 1989. In 1984, a unified Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology was created within FVM at VIZVM, combining the two existing departments at FVM with the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology from the Faculty of Zootechnics. Until 1994, the Department of Anatomy of Domestic Animals was led by Prof. Dr. Georgi Kovachev, DVM. Following his move to Sofia, Assoc. Prof. (since 2012 Professor) Dr. Georgi Georgiev was appointed head, serving until 1997, when he also moved to Sofia. From 1997 to 2000, the department was headed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stoyan Gadjev. In 2000, most FVM departments were merged, forming the current Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology. The role of head was held by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Vodenicharov, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kiril Vasilev, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stoyan Gadjev until 2004. That year, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Angel Vodenicharov (from 2008 DVM, and from 2009 Professor) was appointed head, serving until 2012. After that head of the department is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov. In 2001, the anatomical museum associated with the department was reestablished.

Academic staff

 Associate Professors - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudolf Züpel; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Petar Rangelov; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dimitar Dinov; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vasil Vasilev; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Stoyan Gadjev; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Georgi Georgiev, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rosen Dimitrov. Assistants - Dr. Stefan Peshev – prosector (1924–1926), Dr. Boyan Nachev (1925), Dr. Lyuben Krastev (1942–1947), Dr. Angel Todorov (1946–1954), Dr. Kolyo Dimitrov (1947–1977), Dr. Ivan Ivanov

(1951), Dr. Roman Kasabov (1960–1962), Dr. Svetoslav Tsolov (1962–1966), Dr. Stefan Tomov (1980–1984), Dr. Tonio Benev (1984–1991), Dr. Decheslav Dechev (1988–1992), Dr. Asen Dechev (1988–2005).

A source of pride for the section and the faculty are the professors who dedicated significant parts of their careers to teaching Cytology, Histology, and Embryology to future veterinarians over the 90-year history of FVM. Notable figures include Prof. Dr. Mosko Moskov, PhD, from Humboldt University, Berlin, a pioneer of veterinary micromorphology in Bulgaria; and Prof. Dimitar Dimov, internationally recognized as a classic of Bulgarian literature. Other notable department heads and professors have included Prof. DSc Haralampi Krastev, Prof. DSc Konstantin Kovachev, Assoc. Prof. Stoyan Vitanov, Prof. Dimitar Savov Dimitrov, Chief Assist. Vulko Vulko, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Atanas Bochukov, DVM, Assoc. Prof. Georgi Penchev Georgiev, DVM, Prof. DVMN Ivan Penchev, Prof. Dr. Rosen Dimitrov, Senior Assist. Tanya Dimova, and Chief Assist. Ivaylo Stefanov.