Professor Tsaneva-Atanasova's research addresses open questions in Health and Life Sciences by means of mathematical modelling and analysis including advanced data analytics. The ultimate goal is to be able to propose novel applications of mathematics to enable the development of quantitative methods for healthcare and healthcare technologies. Her current and future research plans predominantly focus on projects that could make a difference to experimental scientists and clinicians, and potentially society through the applications of mathematics for personalised prediction and decision in prevention, diagnosis or treatment of health-related conditions. 

She studied mathematics at the University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria (1991–1996), then completed a PhD in applied mathematics at the University of Auckland in 2004. Following postdoctoral appointments at the US National Institutes of Health and the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, she joined the University of Bristol in 2007, becoming Reader in Applied Mathematics in 2012. In 2013, she moved to the University of Exeter and became Professor of Mathematics for Healthcare in 2015. 

Professor Tsaneva-Atanasova has held several senior leadership roles at Exeter and is now Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact). She leads the University’s research and impact strategy, overseeing a portfolio exceeding £500 million