The Mushroom Hour Podcast

Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we are joined by Bryce Alex, Doctoral Student at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Bryce is originally from Utah and he spent time working as a graduate student and Masters Candidate in the legendary Dentinger Lab at the University of Utah. His mycological research work has involved important players when it comes to fungal ecology that are largely invisible and many of us may have never heard of. He has worked on projects involving metabarcoding fungal propagules carried on bird feathers and mining transcriptomic datasets for hidden mycoviruses. He began his PhD in Plant Pathology at University of Wisconsin Madison in Fall 2020. I am excited for him to share his expertise with the emerging field of mycoviruses and how they relate to fungal, plant and even animal populations.   TOPICS COVERED:    Entering the World of Mycology by Chance  Research in Legendary Dentinger Lab  What is a Mycovirus?  How do Mycoviruses Effect Their Hosts?  Hypovirulence in Pathogenic Fungi  Cryphonectria parasitica  Mycovirus Transference to Plants & Animals?  Agaricus bisporous Dieback Disease   Theories on Origins and Evolution of Mycoviruses  Changing Paradigm of Virology  Bryce’s Current PhD Research  Advice for Pursuing Academic Mycology  Embracing the Mycology Community  Future of Bryce’s Work  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Bryce Alex LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryce-alex-5799b8169   UW-Madison Rakotondrafara Lab: https://rakotondrafaralab.russell.wisc.edu/   Utah Dentinger Lab: https://www.biology.utah.edu/faculty/bryn-dentinger/   Cryphonectria parasitica: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnut_blight   "50-Plus Years of Fungal Viruses": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25771805/   "Five Questions About Mycoviruses": https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1005172   "Mycoviruses of filamentous fungi and their relevance to plant pathology": https://bsppjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1364-3703.2008.00503.x   

Today on Mushroom Hour we have are graced by the presence of Bill Sheehan PhD and Gabriela D’Elia of the Fungal Diversity Survey - also known as FunDiS. Bill Sheehan is the co-founder and president of FunDiS and  Gabriela is currently FunDiS Deep Funga Blog Editor. FunDiS aims to increase scientific knowledge and public awareness of the critical role of fungi in the health of our ecosystems and to better utilize and protect them in a world of rapid climate change and habitat loss. They do this by equipping community scientists, working with professionals, with the reporting tools to document the diversity and distribution of fungi across North America.Bill spent most of his career starting and running two national environmental policy nonprofits. Around the time he was getting ready to retire he reconnected with his love of natural history through a fascination with fungi. Combining his experience running nonprofits with his scientific training and an appreciation for the power of grassroots action, FunDiS unites several mycelial strands of his life.Gabriela first noticed the marvelous mushrooms while she was walking around Seattle, WA. After studying fungal ecology at school there, Gabriela embraced a perspective of Holistic Mycology, which views fungi as ecology, medicine, language, ancestor, and philosophy. Gabriela is leader of the FunDiS local project, Northern Utah Funga Community Science; V.P. of the Mushroom Society of Utah; and founder of Moon Mushrooms, which focuses on mycology education and crafting tiny batch tinctures.  TOPICS COVERED: How Bill and Gabriela came to FunDiS  Origins of FunDiS   Evolution from North American Mycoflora Project  Importance of Mapping Fungal Diversity  Undiscovered Diversity all Around the US  Amateurs Leading the Way in Biodiversity Studies  iNaturalist and Mushroom Observer  Genetic Sequencing  Biodiversity Data Feeding Conservation Efforts  Rising Awareness of Fungi in Conservation Efforts  Rare Fungi Challenges  How to Participate in FunDiS Diversity Surveys  How to Volunteer and Support FunDiSFuture of FunDiS, Community Mycology & Biodiversity Data  EPISODE RESOURCES:FunDiS Website: https://fundis.org/   FunDiS IG: https://www.instagram.com/fungaldiversitysurvey/   FunDiS Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fungaldiversitysurvey   iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/  Mushroom Observer: https://mushroomobserver.org/   Pachycudonia spathulata: https://fundis.org/images/PDF/Pachycudonia-spathulata_trifold-web.pdf   Dictyocephalos attenuatus: https://fundis.org/images/PDF/Dictyocephalos-attenuatus_trifold-web.pdf   Pholiota nubigena (Bubblegum fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pholiota_nubigena   Bubblegum Fungus Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOa2ECym254Tricholomopsis rutilans (Plums and Custard Mushroom): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tricholomopsis_rutilans   

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.htmlProf. Dennis Desjardin: https://biology.sfsu.edu/faculty/desjardinMetrosideros 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   

Today on Mushroom Hour it is our great privilege to be joined by Tess Burzynski - founder, head educator and cultivator at Fungi Freights Urban Lab and Environmental Studio. A Science degree graduate from Wayne State University, she works as an Environmental Scientist and continues doing research with mycoremediation in the city of Detroit. Tess is a member of the Michigan Mushroom Hunters Club and the North American Mycological Association. Throughout her studies she has learned the role mycelium plays in the environment and how beneficial, tenacious and magical it truly is. Through Fungi Freights, her goal is to educate Detroit and its surrounding neighbors about the benefits fungi have on health, food security and the environment. Fungi Freights offers an array of educational workshops and events revolved around mushrooms and their never-ending abilities. From identification, foraging and fungi biology, to DIY cultivation and mushroom art, their events never get dull. Their goal is to enlighten the community on the fascinating world of fungi! TOPICS COVERED:Lebanese & Polish Wild Food InfluencesFinding Healing & Self-Love in MushroomsBiochemical Processes in Fungi DecompositionDecomposers & MycoremediationIllustrative Example of Mycoremediation ResearchCommunity Science Leading in MycoremediationUnique Ecology of DetroitFounding of Fungi FreightsFungi Freights Projects and Community InvolvementImportance of Reciprocity in Community BuildingAdvice for Our Mushroom ProjectsWorldwide Modular, Shipping Container Mushroom FarmsBright Potential for DetroitFastest Organism on Earth is a Fungus?!EPISODE RESOURCES:Fungi Freights Website: https://www.fungifreights.net/Fungi Freights IG: https://www.instagram.com/fungifreights/Fungi Freights Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fungifreights/NAMA: https://namyco.org/Pilobolus crystallinus (Fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilobolus_crystallinus

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of speaking with John Rensten. John lived and worked and foraged in London for 20 years before finally escaping to Dorset, via Hampshire, in 2016 to concentrate on mushroom hunting and coastal foraging. He runs and organizes numerous urban foraging events, wild food walks and mushroom forays. On a daily basis, John studies wild food, picks wild food and really obsesses about wild food! He has a deep passion for sharing what he has learned, running city foraging walks and taking groups mushroom hunting in The New Forest or combing the seashore in Dorset. John founded Forage London to give city dwellers a chance to enjoy and discover some of the amazing wild foods that grow all around us.   TOPICS COVERED:   Lush Diversity Found Urban Foraging  Complex Interlocking Ecologies of Greater London  Avoiding Terrestrial Mushrooms in Urban Environments?  Understanding Historical Land Use Where You Forage Fungi  Emotional Relationship with Local Green Spaces  Permaculture and Wild Foraging Permeating the Mainstream  Foraging Cycles, Seasonality, Multiple Crops & Geographic Variation in Fruiting  Edible and Medicinal Winter Mushrooms in the UK  Ancient Practice of Foraging Dovetailing with Modern Technology  Secrets of Wild Food Preservation & Preparation  Wending Path of Forage Knowledge Accumulation Through Gentle Repetition  Importance of Foraging & Learning Local  The Association of Foragers  Foraging Love Story  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Forage London Website: https://www.foragelondon.co.uk/   Forage London IG: https://www.instagram.com/foragelondon/  The Edible City (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Edible-City-Year-Wild-Food/dp/0752266136   Andy Overall: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andy-Overall  Clifford Davy: http://forestforagers.co.uk/about-us/  Pascal Baudar: https://www.instagram.com/pascalbaudar/  Phillip Stark/Berkeley Open Source Food: https://osfood.berkeley.edu/  "Restharrow": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ononis_repens  "Sneezewort": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_ptarmica  Sea Arrowgrass: https://gallowaywildfoods.com/sea-arrowgrass-identification-distribution-edibility/  "Velvet Shank": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enokitake  "Scarlet Elf Cup": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoscypha_coccinea  

 *WARNING - This episode in no way condemns or condones the use of any substance. For educational and research purposes only*  Today we are joined by entheogenic researcher Amanita Dreamer. In her former life, Amanita Dreamer was a scientist, an educator and a homesteading mother. Today she shares important information on that most famous of mushrooms, the Amanita muscaria. She looked for years for a natural alternative for help with chronic panic and anxiety and when she found this most iconic mushroom, she delved into the world of fungi and now lives to help others learn what she knows about Amanita muscaria – a mushroom that according to her, "Could save the humans on the planet".  She started a YouTube channel and founded a Forum solely dedicated to the Amanita muscaria for those who needed a safe space to get accurate information. After severe and harsh censorship on social media platforms, that are quick to declare any mushroom deadly, dangerous and illegal, she is moving all of her content to a website, AmanitaDreamer.Net. Drawing from what little research there is, Dreamer works to sift through, interpret, share, challenge and ask tough questions. She is controversial at times but scathingly honest about her path and her use of entheogenic medicines and hopes that others will open up to the simplicity, spirit and beauty that is the Amanita muscaria. She brings together the history of lore and indigenous use with modern data, research and science and hopes that this is the beginning of a future where we will know much more about this versatile, functional and magical entheogenic medicine and teacher.    TOPICS COVERED:   Discovering Amanita Muscaria at the Brink of Personal Destruction  The Fight or Flight Response System  The Transformative Healing Potential of Amanita muscaria  The “Power Mushroom"  Modern Masculinity & Amanita muscaria  Amanita muscaria Online Community   Amanita Dreamer's Dosing Protocols   Microdosing Amanita muscaria   Preparation of Amanita muscaria for Therapeutic Use   Conversion of Ibotenic Acid into Muscimol   Learning from Lore and Records of Ancient Usage   Experimenting with Novel Preparations and Uses of Amanita muscaria   Future of Research on Muscaroid Fungi   Embracing Spirituality and Communing with Mushroom Entities   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Amanita Dreamer Website: https://www.amanitadreamer.net/  Amanita Dreamer YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVDN2oZZ3mgaIEVuEUm3YPw  Amanita Dreamer Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanitadreamer/  Amanita Dreamer Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AmanitaDreamer  Amanita Research Forum: https://forum.amanitaresearch.com/  Dr. Trent Austin Patent Converting Ibotenic Acid: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20140004084A1/en  Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology, & Exploration (Book): https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Agaric-Compendium-Pharmacology-Exploration/dp/0578714426

Today on Mushroom Hour we are joined by adventurer and mycologist Danny Haelewaters PhD. Danny Haelewaters holds a Bachelor’s in Veterinary Sciences, a Master of Science in biology, and a PhD in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. During his Masters program he developed a new technology to analyze forensic relevant fungi in casework at the Netherlands Forensic Institute. Between 2012 and 2018, he worked at the Farlow Herbarium of the Harvard University Herbaria (Cambridge, MA) as a PhD student. In 2018, he did a short postdoc at the University of South Bohemia in the Czech Republic, and from November 2018 until late 2020 he was a USDA-funded postdoctoral research assistant at Purdue University, where he worked on characterizing the fungal microbiota of Romaine lettuce. Currently he works at Ghent University as a junior postdoctoral fellow on a project dealing with Laboulbeniales associated with bat flies. In addition, he  writes popular science articles for different sources. Since the very beginning of his student career at Ghent University (Belgium), he has has loved the interdisciplinary research in biology. It probably contributed to his choice to study the ecto-parasitic Laboulbeniales fungus. I’m excited to learn more about these unique organisms as well as the secrets of other little-known parasitic fungi. TOPICS COVERED:From Vet to MycologistFungal Inspiration at the University of GhentDiscovering LaboulbenialesUncovering Phylogeny of Rare, Microscopic FungiBat Fly Research in PanamaTripartite System of Bats, Bat Flies and FungiFuture of Laboulbeniales Research on Bat FliesOther Entomopathogens Including HerpomycesPhysiology of LaboubienialesInvasive Species & "Enemy Release” HypothesisImportance of Conserving Fungal PathogensExploring Laboubeniales as a BioControl AgentDiscovering new Clades of Cryptic Fungal OrganismsUnderstudied Habitats (Romaine Lettuce & Dead Bodies?!)EPISODE RESOURCES:Danny Haelewaters Website: http://www.dannyhaelewaters.com/Danny Haelewaters Twitter: https://twitter.com/dhaelewa/Laboulbeniales (Fungal Order): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaboulbenialesHerpomyces (Fungal Genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HerpomycesBeauveria bassiana (Fungal Species): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauveria_bassianaMetarhizium brunneum (Fungal Species Complex):https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metarhizium_brunneumOphiocordyceps (Fungal Genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps

Get your tickets now for "THE FUTURE IS FUNGI" Event on 6/26/21:https://ffungi.org/eng/the-future-is-fungi/   Today we are joined be two powerful advocates for queendom fungi, Giuliana Furci and Nathalie Kelley. Giuliana’s journey began at the age of 19, looking for native foxes in a forest on the Island of Chiloé when she came across a fungus that changed her course. Giuliana believes that fungi choose you, and she heard that call. She did not find field guides on fungi in Chile, so she decided to write one in 2006. She studied Aquaculture and went from studying algae and studies on the negative impacts of salmon farming, to leaving everything and starting the Fungi Foundation – the world’s first NGO dedicated to fungal organisms.  Nathalie Kelley was born in Peru and raised in Australia by her Indigenous mother and grandmother. After working with street children in São Paulo, Brazil and Aboriginal inner-city youth in Redfern, Australia - she began her degree in Social Science and Policy at the University of UNSW. Not long after she started to work as an actress in film and television US, with notable roles in shows like Unreal, Dynasty and most recently as the star of ABC’s The Baker and the Beauty.  Despite this change of course she remained inwardly mindful of her privilege and responsibility to her indigenous heritage and people. She has become an advocate for Indigenous peoples, regenerative agriculture, the soil and the undervalued but invaluable role of fungi in our ecosystem. She is now committed to using her story telling skills to be a voice for the voiceless - creating narratives of hope around the power of nature to regenerate and heal and the integral part humans have to play in this process. Nathalie is on the board of Kiss the Ground and the Fungi Foundation.   TOPICS COVERED:   How Nat Discovered Queendom Fungi  Giuliana & Nat Connection with Divine Timing  Fungi Foundation’s Origins in Chile  Growth of the Fungi Foundation & Evolving Global Mission   Documenting Ancestral & Traditional Indigenous Interactions with Fungi  Indigenous Technologies will Yield the Biggest Future Discoveries in Mycology  Importance of Consent when Working with Indigenous Communities  Examples of Indigenous Communities Using Fungi  Indigenous Communities’ Responses to the Program  Fungi Foundation Transcending Its Foundress  Future of Fungi Event  Lineup of Inspirational Presenters  How to Get Involved with the Fungi Foundation  EPISODE RESOURCES:"Future is Fungi" Event: https://ffungi.org/eng/the-future-is-fungi/   Fungi Foundation Website: https://ffungi.org/   Fungi Foundation IG: https://www.instagram.com/fungifoundation/   Giuliana Furci IG: https://www.instagram.com/giulifungi/   Nat Kelley IG: https://www.instagram.com/natkelley/   Calostoma (Genera): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calostoma   Alloclavaria purpurea (Fungus): http://www.mushroomexpert.com/alloclavaria_purpurea.html

Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we are joined by Dr. Michael Perlin, Professor in Biology at the University of Louisville. Dr. Perlin’s interests drew him to study host/pathogen interactions at the University of Chicago and his PhD work centered on the evolution of bacterial resistance to certain classes of antibiotics/antimicrobials. As he was near to completing his degree, a friend of his stopped by the lab and introduced him to a different microbial system: a fungal pathogen that infects flowering species in the Carnation family and replaces the pollen of the flower with fungal spores. From that point he was hooked. Over the years he has continued to work on bacterial resistance, but in the last 10 years, he has shifted the focus of his lab exclusively to that on fungal plant pathogens, with projects encompassing three different types of pathogens on different hosts and the use of the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as a model tool in the exploration of some questions more easily investigated in this well-developed system. Dr. Perlin has roughly 70 peer-reviewed scientific articles in reputable journals, including Nature; mBio; BMC Genomics; Genes, Genomes, Genetics (GGG); Fungal Genetics and Biology; Journal of Bacteriology; Eukaryotic Cell; and Molecular Microbiology. As a member of a number of scientific organizations and a prolific teacher and mentor, Dr. Perlin has a far-reaching influence on his field and has directly played a role in the careers of many PhD students. I’m excited to learn more about how fungal phytopathogens that have a massive impact on human culture.   TOPICS COVERED:   Journey into the Life Sciences   Influence of Dr. Stephen Lerner   Antibiotic Era & Understanding Microbial Evolution in Preventing Antibiotic ResistanceFungal Phytopathogen Interactions   Emerging Disease from Fungal Plant Pathogens as Primary Threat to Modern Human Society   Physiology and Life Cycle of Smut Fungi  Systems Studied Over Three Decades of Research at University of Louisville  Extrapolating Insights from Fungal Pathogens to Other Systems  Dimorphic Switch from Benign Yeast Form to Infectious Filamentous Form  Signaling Pathways in Cells Triggering Dimorphic Transformation  Precautionary Principle in Science   Protein “Effectors” Produced by Pathogens that Manipulate Hosts   Perlin Lab and Collaborative Science   Studying Mitochondria Inheritance in Model Fungal Systems   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Dr. Perlin Website: https://louisville.edu/biology/faculty/perlin   Stephen Lerner (Inspiration): https://photoarchive.lib.uchicago.edu/db.xqy?one=apf1-10357.xml   Microbotryum violaceum (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microbotryum_violaceum   Ustilago maydis (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_smut   Coccidia (pathogen): https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/coccidia   Ophiocordyceps unilateralis (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ophiocordyceps_unilateralis   

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of speaking with Darren Springer AKA Darren Le Barron. Darren Springer is an educator, researcher and event organizer based in the UK. Known around the world for his Shroomshop Master classes he is a keen mushroom cultivator and teacher and has been growing gourmet and medicinal mushrooms for the last ten years. By day he is an Organic Horticulturist and Food Enterprise tutor and has translated his home growing experience into a social enterprise. Darren is the mycologist in residence at Somerset House, one of the largest communities of arts and creative enterprises in the UK. He is also a qualified Permaculture teacher and facilitator and supports businesses and communities to create sustainable working systems and environments. He is a member and presenter at the London Psychedelic Society, and is a chair and Breaking Convention committee member. Collectively his work aims to inform and empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to cope with social challenges and contribute to community development as well as self-improvement in an innovative, creative and culturally-aware style.   TOPICS COVERED:   The Kid Who Questioned Everything   Reconnecting with African Culture   Influence of Kilindi Iyi   Knowledge of Psychedelics within Traditional African Culture   Diaspora from the African Continent   Benefits of Reconnecting with Indigenous Ancestry   Psychedelic Plants & Fungi as Technology to Speak with the Ancestors   Rediscovering Who You Are, Where You’re From and Where You’re Going   Checking in with Indigenous Cultures Before Moving Forward   Creating New Systems vs. Petitioning the Old to Change   Growing Plants & Mushrooms is a Revolutionary Act   Shroomshop Classes & Mushroom Cultivation   Ancestor Project 3-Week Course & UK Mushroom Academy   Unlocking the Organic, Crystal Technology Inside the Human Body   EPISODE RESOURCES:   Darren Le Baron Website: https://www.darrenlebaron.com/   Darren Le Baron IG: https://www.instagram.com/darren_le_baron/   Psychedelic Emancipation Course Collaboration with The Ancestor Project: https://www.theancestorproject.com/psychedelic-emancipation   Shroomshop Master Classes: https://psychedelicsociety.org.uk/mushroom-cultivation-for-beginners   Jamaican Mushroom Growing Retreat w/ Silo Wellness: https://www.silowellness.com/retreats-programs/19/mushroom-growers-workshop-retreat/   Kilindi Iyi (Inspiration): http://babakilindi.com/