Dr. Milen Vrabevski was a Keynote speaker at the international high-level conference Innovative Enterprise Week Sofia 2018. As an entrepreneur, owner and CEO of the largest clinical research organization in South-Eastern Europe, he shared with the present delegates his experience and practical directions considering how innovators can be offered continental scale to compete on global level.

Dr. Vrabevski placed Bulgaria on the map of ‘Horizon 2020’ with a highly innovative scientific project that received the Seal of Excellence by the European Commission. The EP assessment tool IMP³rove ranked his company among the Growth Champions in Europe and the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science bestowed its Pythagoras Award on Comac Medical for being the company with largest investment in scientific research.

The event is an initiative by the European Commission, organized by the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of Europe and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Bulgaria. The Innovative Enterprise Week Sofia 2018 – Financial Instruments Fostering Research and Innovation aims at raising awareness of the potential for the financial instruments, facilities and accompanying measures launched, especially under Horizon 2020 to enhance access to finance for research and innovation.

The CEO of Comac Medical Dr. Milen Vrabevski and Boyko Borissov, Prime Minister of Republic of Bulgaria took part in the international forum: Dialogue with the Western Balkans creating a region of growth, security and connectivity on the Path to Europe. The event is part of the official program of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of EU.

During the conference politicians, opinion leaders and representatives of the NGO sector from different countries discussed the European perspective for the countries from the region and the necessary steps for achieving more effective connection.

Dr. Milen Vrabevski was officially invited to deliver a lecture at the opening of the pilot edition of “European Fellowship in Research Ethics Programme” which was held in Brussels, Belgium on 4^th May 2018.

The Programme is designed to train members and administrators of ethics committees from countries coming from outside Europe as well as those within Europe. The programme has been designed by the Good Clinical Practice Alliance – Europe (GCPA) and the Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review (SIDCER) in discussion with interested institutions in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

The primary objective of the Programme is to provide a comprehensive and in-depth examination of European research ethics, ethical review practices, and regulatory science at the European Union level and at the Member State level. The programme allows for the fellows to share their experiences with the institutions they visit as well as among themselves.

Dr. Vrabevski was invited to share his knowledge and experience with the fellows as an internationally recognized expert who established and developed the Research Ethics and the Good Clinical Practices in Bulgaria and in other countries in the region. Dr. Milen Vrabevski is a Primary Ethics contact from Europe to Edward E. Bartlett, PhD International Human Subjects Liaison, Office for Human Research Protections and a main consultant from Europe for the International Compilation of Human Research Standards.

He dedicated his presentation to Dr. Angela J. Bowen who passed away in 2017. She was a longtime Olympia physician, medical research pioneer, community philanthropist and a good friend of his.

The topic of Dr. Vrabevski’s presentation was “Cultural Heritage and Cultural Shifts: How Clinical Trials Contributed to Bulgaria’s Journey from the Soviet Union to the European Union”. He shared with the fellows what it meant for Bulgaria to come out of the Soviet Union, join the European Union, and then to accelerate in the area of clinical research. He paid attention to politics, culture, the role of the CRO, the preservation of culture while integrating into a new culture, and he look all this through the perspective of Ethics.

After the Workshop Dr. Vrabevski hold a Gala Dinner for the participants in the Programme. It was a priceless networking opportunity for all fellows. The dinner was again dedicated to Dr. Angela J. Bowen.

Comac Medical’s Business Development team will participate in the 9th Clinical Trials Innovation Programme at the end of April 2018.

Stay tuned for more information!

Yearly, the European Bioanalysis Forum provides the opportunity to young-in-the-field scientists from all over the world to gain experience and discuss the “hot” topics engaged by the bioanalytical world. This year the Young Scientist Symposium took place in the wonderful city of Ghent, where early-career bioanalytical scientists all gathered under the main theme: The BioA Brain: Embracing New Ideas.

Seeking to satisfy their knowledge thirst, the Comac Medical bioanalytical scientists Snezhana Traykova and Pavel Stoykov attended the symposium and were honored to do so by presenting Comac`s bioanalytical experience in the sphere of challenging small molecule extraction techniques.

Snezhana managed to present a recent bioanalytical project that was developed and run by our bioanalytical laboratory as a result of the mutual hard work of our team of scientists- Kichka Kostova, Milena Tasheva, Desislava Georgieva, Nedka Sanyova and Pavel Stoykov. She also provided general tips on how to overcome bioanalytical challenges in regards to the molecule extraction from human plasma samples, such as the use of pH stabilization, phase separation and purification techniques.

The overall feedback in the matter of the outcomes of the symposium included many positive comments on the high quality of the general meeting and the presentations that were a part of it. Once again, Comac Medical demonstrated its outstanding experience in the field and its will for always staying in touch with the most novel bioanalytical trends.

Dr. Milen Vrabevski took part in the high-level debate organized by the European Committee of the Regions in Sofia Tech Park. He joined a panel debate devoted to “Strengthening EU values via better education and cultural heritage” alongside Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Governor of the Region of Central Macedonia, Tanya Hristova, Mayor of Gabrovo and Markku Markkula, First Vice-President of CoR and Chairman of the Espoo City Board.

The goal of this panel debate was to discuss and exchange views on the different aspects of what European identities, funding values, citizenship are and how education and cultural heritage can contribute to foster and strengthen these values.

Dr. Milen Vrabevski was invited as an experienced entrepreneur and a public figure who has been investing in education and European integration of young people from Bulgaria and the Bulgarian historical diaspora for 10 years already. He shared the good practices of the 10-year activity of the Bulgarian Memory Foundation and the results achieved by them so far.

„European integration brings peace, but also opportunities. It is important to introduce young people to these opportunities and motivate them to work for the prosperity of their society. An essential motivation factor is love, which is also among the European values. If you sincerely love the environment where you were born you have a desire to invest your talent in it. Everybody in Bulgaria can do Eurointegration. It is enough to learn to live with a mission, i.e. for others.“, said Dr. Vrabevski during the debate.

The Chairman of the Bulgarian Memory Foundation stressed the importance of investing in education, providing sustainable and effective knowledge and skills built in a spirit of constructiveness, tolerance and understanding.

He also highlighted that the entrepreneurial skills training for science executives is of great importance for Bulgaria and Europe as well as digital connectivity, the free circulation of scientific information that leads to innovation and concrete solutions for the progress of society.

You can watch the video from the debate here.

Dr. Vrabevski was a special guest and keynote speaker at the Informal Meeting of European Ministers in charge of education, science and research. The event is part of the official program of the Bulgarian Euro-Presidency and was held on 1-2 February 2018 in Sofia.

As one of the biggest innovators and investors in Bulgarian science and young people in Bulgaria, Dr. Milen Vrabevski was invited by the Ministry of Education and Science to speak at the event on the topic “Future of Europe – career development, career patch and new skills “.

In his inspirational speech, Dr. Vrabevski paid special attention to investing in innovation, human capital and society. He outlined the perspectives for Europe considering science and research that are inevitably linked to the progress of society and the improvement of the European citizens’ lives.

“I am very proud that I am one of the first people in this country who understood the importance of this type of investments. Thanks to them we gradually regained the interest of the young people for career in the scientific and research sector. And this was realized in a way that meets the requirements of the modern world – with acquisition of both – academic knowledge and experience as well as specific social and entrepreneurial skills that will benefit young scientists in the realization of their scientific projects. This is a big step forward that has contributed to the increase of the quantitative and qualitative scientific capacity of Bulgaria and Europe” said Dr. Milen Vrabevski

The event was also attended by minister Krasimir Valchev, the European Commissioner responsible for Science, Research and Innovation, Carlos Moedas, as well as ministers from all the Member States of the European Union. EU Commissioner Moedas urged the European institutions to devote a larger budget to science, as Europe’s successful future depends on it.

The Bulgarian Presidency’s ambition for the meeting of Ministers for Science and Innovation was to hold discussions on the future of research and innovation in Europe aimed at the transfer of knowledge and results for the benefit of the economy and society and the importance of the human factor for the dissemination of knowledge and innovation.

After reaching the Bioanalytical Utopia (EBF 9th Open Symposium) last year, the Comac Medical bioanalytical team begun a new journey. The team represented by Tsvetelina Ivanova, Kichka Kostova, Milena Tasheva and Snezhana Traykova joined the industry leader to share and discuss science and processes important for Regulated Bioanalysis of small and large molecules and related topics.

As usual the Comac Тeam presented once again a Poster, which summarized some of our latest bioanalytical achievements.

The biggest clinical research organization in Eastern Europe, Comac Medical celebrated it’s 20-th birthday with glamorous cocktail at the National History Museum. Present at the event were many scientists, researchers, doctors, partners and associates of the company from all 21 countries on which Comac Medical is operating.

Dr. Milen Vrabevski addressed the guests and thanked everybody for the hard work, dedication and team spirit, with which the company has reached the top. Our CEO arranged a special surprise for all of the guests.

Stay tuned for more information and pictures from the gala event.

The first monument of Tsar Simeon the Great in the Bulgarian capital was unveiled in a solemn ceremony by the Chairman of the National Assembly – Mr. Dimitar Glavchev, the Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality – Todor Chobanov and the Chairman of the “Bulgarian Memory” Foundation – Dr. Milen Vrabevski. The special event took place at the “Tsar Simeon Veliki” private school.

The monument is created by the sculptor Krasimir Angelov and was built on the initiative and thanks to the donation of Dr. Milen Vrabevski. The sculpture is almost five meters high and consists of granite basis and impressive brass figure of Tsar Simeon the Great.

The year of the monument inauguration is not chosen by chance. In 2017 we mark 1090 years of the death of Tsar Simeon, 1110 years of the death of his father Boris I and 1100 years of the Aheloi battle between the Bulgarians and the Byzanthine empire, which led to the victory of the Bulgarian army leaded by Tsar Simeon the Great.

The initiative of Dr. Vrabevski and the “Bulgarian Memory” Foundation corresponds with the idea of establishing a place for honoring Bulgarian historical memory following the mission and the educational program in “Tsar Simeon the Great” private school – the younger generation to be raised in the spirit of patriotism, confidence and national honor.

“Through the ages Bulgaria has been a motherland of many great historical figures, but only one of them was called “the Great”. This is why “Bulgarian Memory” Foundation and I were called upon our duty to perpetuate the famous Bulgarian ruler with the raising of the first monument in Sofia of Tsar Simeon the Great. It is our duty to raise and educate younger generation in the spirit of patriotism and love for our glorious nation and history”, said Dr. Milen Vrabevski.

The National Guards Division took part in the solemn ceremony and His Holiness Archimandrite Vasilii sanctified the monument. Official guests of the ceremony were also Mr. Rangel Markov – Mayor of Bankya, members of the National Assembly, journalists and public figures.