Ivayla Kuleva received her bachelor's degree in biology and chemistry from Shumen University "Ep. K. Preslavski", Bulgaria, in 2005, and her master's degree in ecology and environmental protection, with a specialisation in ecosystem management and conservation, in 2015. She is currently a PhD student in molecular biology at the Medical University of Varna. She has worked in the Department of Biology at the Medical University of Varna since 2016, initially as a biologist, and was appointed assistant professor in 2020. Her research interests include molecular biology, cancer biology, molecular biomarkers, and the complement system's role in cancer.