Matters Microbial #23: Fungi: Cool Friends and Looming Foes

Today, the impressive Dr. Arturo Casadevall of Johns Hopkins University will joint #MattersMicrobial to discuss his path in science, how fungi need more study, that some fungi are literally cool, and others a looming threat. 

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Arturo Casadevall

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• A wonderful remembrance (by multiple authors) of Lynn Margulis, and essays by Elio Schaechter (a friend of Margulis’) and James Lake (a colleague).  
• The wonderful Tiny Earth program that uses a CURE type approach to allow students to search for new antibiotic producing microbes.  Also, a fine publication describing this worldwide program.
• An overview of the diverse and dizzying fungal world all around us.
• A publication describing how fungi dominated after every mass extinction.
• Giant fungi existed in Earth’s past.
• Dr. Casadevall group’s article on how fungi are cooler than the environment around them, including the “mycorefrigerator.”
• Evidence that high body temperatures defend against fungal disease.  Dr. Casadevall wrote an article suggesting that fungal diseases might have helped lead to the extinction of dinosaurs.
• Dr. Casadevall explores the possibility of fungal adaptation to higher temperatures in our warming world.  
• Dr. Casadevall’s essay about problems with the term “pathogen.”
• Drs Casadevall and Fang’s new book titled “Thinking About Science.”
• A short biography of Dr. Casadevall as well as his Wikipedia page.
• Dr. Casadevall’s faculty website

Intro music is by Reber Clark

Send your questions and comments to mattersmicrobial@gmail.com