The "Acad. Doncho Kostoff" Institute of Genetics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) ensues from the Central Agricultural Research Institute founded in 1910. During 1939-1949 it was headed by the eminent Bulgarian scientist Acad. Doncho Kostoff. A new Department of Genetics at the Institute was established in 1943.
In 1947 Acad. Doncho Kostoff organized the Institute of Applied Biology and Development of Organisms at BAS and became its director. After his death at the end of 1949 the Institute, being transformed into a Department of Agrobiology, was attached to the Institute of General Biology at BAS. In 1951 this Department was constituted as Institute of Agrobiology, later on (1952) renamed as Institute of Plant Growing at BAS headed by Acad. Christo Daskaloff. Over that period the research scope of the Institute was of complex character; along with the theoretical problems and methodological approaches numerous topics closely related to practical crop breeding and agrotechnics were studied.
In 1955 the Institute joined the Central Agricultural Research Institute giving rise to the Central Research Institute of Plant Growing at BAS.
In 1961 the Institute was transferred to the newly established Academy of Agricultural Sciences (AAS), being named Institute of Plant Growing.
At the end of 1962 the Department of Genetics separated from the Institute of Plant Growing as a Central Laboratory of Genetics at AAS headed by Acad. Rayna Georgieva. In 1966 the Institute of Plant Growing was integrated with the Central Laboratory of Genetics, giving rise to the Institute of Plant Genetics and Breeding at AAS, headed by Acad. Christo Daskaloff.
After the closing up of AAS in 1976 the Institute of Plant Genetics and Breeding was transferred to BAS as Institute of Genetics. In 1987 it was named "Acad. Doncho Kostoff" Institute of Genetics in memoriam of the world-known Bulgarian scientist.
The eminent plant geneticist and breeder Acad. Christo Daskaloff, greatly contributed to the organization and development of the Institute of Genetics and headed it since its foundation till 1977.
After 1977 the Institute was headed by: Prof. Manol Stoilov (1978-1988), Assoc.
Prof. Ljuben Dorossiev (1988-1992), Prof. Stefan Daskalov, D.Sc., Ph.D. (1992-1993), Assoc. Prof. Boyan Dimitrov (1993-2003). Since 2003 the Institute of Genetics is directed by Prof. Kostadin Gecheff, D.Sc., Ph.D.