Ep. 91: Bioluminescent Fungi, Mysterious Endophytes & the Mushrooms of Vanuatu (feat. Brian Perry PhD)

Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we have the privilege of speaking with Brian Perry PhD, Associate Professor of Biology at California State University, East Bay. He received his Master's Degree from San Francisco State University under the guidance of Dr. Dennis E. Desjardin, and his Ph.D. from Harvard University where he studied with Dr. Donald H. Pfister. Brian has been studying fungi since 1995, and has published over 45 papers in scientific journals. In addition to studying the evolution of fungal bioluminescence, he also conducts research on mushrooms and other fungi of Vanuatu, the assembly and biogeography of island fungal communities, endophytic fungi of Hawaiian plants, and the systematics of Mycena and allied genera. Brian teaches several mycology courses at Cal State East Bay and the Sierra Nevada Field Campus, and recently launched a Sierra Nevada Mycoflora project.   

TOPICS COVERED:   

• Raised with an Appreciation for Nature  
• Mycological Influence of Dr. Dennis Desjardin  
• Why Do Some Mushrooms Glow?  
• Exploring Evolution of Fungal Bioluminescence  
• Biochemistry of Bioluminescence  
• Biology & Ecological Roles of Endophytic Fungi  
• Applied Use of Endophytes  
• Fungal Ecology of Tropical Islands  
• Research in Vanuatu  
• Vanuatu’s Indigenous Culture  
• Ethnomycology Among Vanuatu’s Indigenous Peoples  
• Tropical Island Phylogeography & Biogeography  
• Biogeographical Mysteries  
• Rise of Citizen Mycologists  

EPISODE RESOURCES:   

• Dr. Brian Perry Website: https://www.perrymycolab.com/
• CSU East Bay Website: https://www.csueastbay.edu/directory/profiles/biol/perrybrian.html
• Prof. Dennis Desjardin: https://biology.sfsu.edu/faculty/desjardin
• Metrosideros polymorpha (plant species): https://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/met-poly.htm   
• Blue Coprinopsis (fungi): https://steveaxford.smugmug.com/Fungi/Basidiomycetes/Coprinoid-fungi/Blue-Coprinopsis/   
• Schizophyllum commune (fungi): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/schizophyllum_commune.html   
• Coprinellus disseminatus (fungi): http://www.mushroomexpert.com/coprinellus_disseminatus.html   
• Mycena californiensis (fungi): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycena_californiensis