The Mushroom Hour Podcast

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova. Dr. Dadachova is a Professor of Pharmacy at the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition and the Fedoruk Centre for Nuclear Innovation Chair in Radiopharmacy. Before joining University of Saskatchewan, she was a Professor of Radiology, Microbiology and Immunology in the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, USA, where she was also Sylvia and Robert S. Olnick Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research. She received her PhD in Physical Chemistry from Moscow State University in Moscow, Russia, in 1992, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in radiopharmaceutical chemistry at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization in Sydney, Australia. Dadachova’s laboratory has pioneered the treatment of infectious diseases including fungal and bacterial infections and HIV with radiolabeled antibodies (so called radioimmunotherapy). Her other research interests are radioimmunotherapy of melanoma, blood cancers and osteosarcoma as well as the development of melanin-based radioprotectors for cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, soldiers on the battlefield and astronauts in space.   TOPICS COVERED:   Research Pathways of Melanin, Melanoma and Fungi Coming Together  Black Fungi in Soil Surrounding Chernobyl  Melanin in Fungi  Basics of Radiation and Types of Radioactive Particles  Fungi in Outer Space  How Fungi Use Melanin to Protect Themselves Against Ionizing Radiation  Fungi Surviving in Antarctica  Melanated Fungi Harvesting Radiation  Radiotropism  Applied Technologies for Radiation Protection from Melanized Fungi  The Power of Eating Melanized Mushrooms  Radioimmunotherapy  Radiopharmaceuticals  Future Research & Applications  EPISODE RESOURCES:    Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova Academic Website: https://pharmacy-nutrition.usask.ca/profiles/kate-dadachova.php#Bio  Dr. Ekaterina Dadachova Papers: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=A6Ud3q0AAAAJ&hl=en  Cryptococcus neoformans (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptococcus_neoformans  Cryptococcus antarcticus (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptococcus_antarcticus  Auricularia judae (fungis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auricularia_auricula-judae

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the incredible opportunity to speak with Integrated Land Enhancement found Leif Olson. A native of the western North Carolina mountains, Leif grew up with a deep sense of connection and appreciation for nature.  Early on this relationship was primarily through a creative and imaginative lens, but after over a decade of researching and working in ecology, chemistry, mycology, landscaping and sustainable agriculture he now works to study and improve the natural world with an interdisciplinary approach. After receiving a Bachelor's of Science in Ecology from University of California at Santa Cruz and a Master of Environmental Management in Ecotoxicology at Duke University, Leif spent the following years becoming versed in the rapidly emerging fields of applied mycology and soil biology.  Though it may be unbeknownst to many, we are currently living in a renaissance of knowledge for understanding the processes and interconnectivity of nature. What a great opportunity to learn from a hands-on expert about how we can leverage our emerging understanding of plants, fungi, microorganisms, nutrients, water and more to enhance the resiliency, fertility and productivity of our landscapes. TOPICS COVERED:Childhood in Nature, Studying Ecology, Mycelium RunningEnvironmental Conditions Bioremediation Can AddressUnbounded Ability of Natural Organisms Benefits of Fungi to the EnvironmentChemistry of Fungal Decomposition & Ligninolytic EnzymesInteractions Between Fungi, Bacteria Virsuses and More in SoilTechnology in Applied MycologyContaminant Removal – Organic, Inorganic, PathogensEngineering & Implementing Bioremediation ProjectsReal-World Examples of Bioremediation ProjectsGeomycology & BiogeochemistryEvolution of Environmental Institutions & Regulatory FrameworksAll groups of Fungi Can Break Down Contaminants?Advice in Pursuing Bioremediation ProjectsEPISODE RESOURCES: Integrated Land Enhancement: https://integratedlandenhancement.com/Applied Mycology Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/appliedmycology/Fungi for the People: https://fungiforthepeople.org/Mushroom Mountain: https://mushroommountain.com/Lentinus tigrinus (AKA Tiger Sawgill Mushroom): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/lentinus_tigrinus.htmlHericium erinaceus (AKA Lions Mane): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/hericium_erinaceus.html

Today on Mushroom Hour we are blessed by the presence of the illustrious Dr. Michael Beug. Dr. Beug taught chemistry, mycology and organic farming at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington for 32 years. He lectures to mushroom enthusiasts throughout the Western US and loves to teach beginners workshops. He is a member of the North American Mycological Association (NAMA) where he serves as Editor of the Journal McIlvainea, Chair of the Toxicology Committee, and member of the Education Committee. Michael has served four terms as President of The Pacific Northwest Key Council, a group dedicated to writing macroscopic keys for the identification of fungi. His specialties are the genus Ramaria and all toxic and hallucinogenic mushrooms. He is also doing research on oak-associated fungi of the Columbia River Gorge, especially Cortinarius species. His newest book is Mushrooms of Cascadia and he regularly writes about mushrooms in McIlvainea, The Mycophile, Fungi, and Mushroom: The Journal of Wild Mushrooming and he somehow finds the time to be on the editorial board of Fungi magazine. I’m excited to learn from this master mycology educator about the past, present and future of mushrooms.    TOPICS COVERED:   Early Career at Evergreen & Becoming a Mycologist  DDT Controversy, Research into PCBs and Heavy Metals  Multidisciplinary Teaching Career and Collaboration at Evergreen College  Paul Stamets Jeremy Bigwood & Jonathan Ott Introduce Psilocybe  Being Paul Stamets’ Professor & Friend  Modern Psilocybin History from Wasson, Leary & Alpert to Recent Decriminalization  Evolution of Academic Mycology  Importance of Amateur Naturalists in Mycology  Global Political Theory & Creating Positive Change  Averting Disaster, Listening to Nature   Rise of Mushroom Culture  Psilocybin, Empathy & Hope  Mushrooms of Cascadia & Next Book on Regenerative Design  Trippy Tales featuring Mushroom Legends at Brightenbush  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Mushrooms of Cascadia Website: https://www.mushroomsofcascadia.com/  Mushrooms of Cascadia Book: https://fungi.com/products/mushrooms-of-cascadia  Columbia River Gorge: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_River_Gorge  North American Mycological Association: https://namyco.org/   Fungi Magazine: https://www.fungimag.com/  Pacific Northwest Key Council: https://www.svims.ca/council/  MycoMatch: https://www.mycomatch.com/index.htm  Hericium erinaceus (AKA Lions Mane): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_erinaceus  Trametes versicolor (AKA Turkey Tail): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trametes_versicolor  

Xiaojing Yan is a Canadian artist whose work embraces the combination of her Chinese roots and education at Nanjing Arts Institute (B.F.A., 2000) with higher education at George Brown College in Toronto (2004) and an M.F.A. in sculpture at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (2007). Her unique point of view brings together the past and the present, encompasses culture and nature, art and science. Yan is a recipient of numerous awards and grants, including the 2014 Outstanding Young Alumni Award from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Project Grants from the Canadian Council for the Arts, the Chalmers Arts Fellowship, Mid-career Grants from Ontario Arts Council, and many more. Most recently, she has had solo shows at Maison Hermès, Shanghai, China, Art Gallery of Northumberland, Cobourg, ON, Canada, Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond, BC, Canada and Suzhou Museum, Suzhou, China, Varley Art Gallery, Markham, ON, Canada. Yan has also completed public art projects and commissions in Canada and China including her 2018 installation Cloudscape at the Royal Ontario Museum and 2019 Window display "Into the Dream" for Maison Hermès. It’s my pleasure to learn more about the unique ethos behind her art and her intimate relationship with reishi mushroom, also known as lingzhi.    TOPICS COVERED:   Following the Artists' Path from China to Canada  Engaging Space in Creating Art  Inspiration from Chinese Mythologies, Stories and Iconographies  Connection to Nature in Eastern and Western Cultures  Forces of Modernization Reshaping Relationships with Nature  Rise of the “Moderners”   Weighing Human Progress and Environmental Homeostasis  Imbuing Art with Meaning Before and After Creation  Pearls and Cicadas used to make Sculptures  Roles of Artists in Communicating Balance in Nature  Making Art with Lingzhi AKA Reishi  Chinese Culture and the Mushroom of Immortality  Cocreating Art with Nature   Rise of Mycelium in Art and Design  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Xiaojing Yan Website: https://yanxiaojing.com/   Xiaojing Yan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xiaojing.yan.studio/?hl=en   Lingzhi: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingzhi_(mushroom)   "Scholar's Stone": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gongshi   "Classic of Mountains and Seas": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_of_Mountains_and_Seas   

Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we are graced by the presence of Melissa Waddingham founder of Truffle and Mushroom Hunter. As a professional truffle hunter, Melissa respectfully and sustainably searches for truffles with her trained canine companions. She has studied forestry and woodland management and exudes a passion for woodlands and their association with mushrooms and truffles. Her work has given her a reverence for the delicate truffle woodland ecology and its sustainability. It is a rare environment crucial for not only her beloved truffles, but also the well-being of trees in areas of poor nutrients. In pursuing this work, Melissa has created a mushroom and truffle foraging business where she does it all - training truffle hounds, leading truffle hunting courses, performing woodland surveys in search of truffle presence or potential and collaborating with landowners to nurture environments for truffle cultivation.   TOPICS COVERED:   Introduction to Fungi Through the Stomach  Discovering Truffles  Truffle Habitat - England vs Portugal  Truffle Clues & Aromas  Engaging the Senses  Ecology & Life of Truffles  Special Relationship with a Truffle Dog  What Types of Dogs can Hunt Truffles?  Traits of Good Truffle Dogs  Training a Truffle Dog  Learning the Language of Your Truffle Dog  Advice for Beginning the Truffle Hunting Journey  Surveying Forests for Truffles  Truffle Cultivation Industry  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Truffle & Mushroom Hunter Website: https://truffleandmushroomhunter.com/  Truffle & Mushroom Hunter FB: https://www.facebook.com/truffleandmushroomhunter/  Truffle & Mushroom Hunter IG: https://www.instagram.com/truffleandmushroomhunter/  Lagotto Romagnolo (Italian Truffle Hunting Dog): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagotto_Romagnolo  Ian Hall: http://www.trufflesandmushrooms.co.nz/  Amanita caesarea (Fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_caesarea

Today on Mushroom Hour we are joined by generational mushroom cultivator and medicinal mushroom alchemist Amir Karian. Amir grew up in a family of mushroom farmers who own and operate one of America’s largest mushroom farms in Monterey Mushrooms and one of the largest mushroom spawn production companies called Amycel. But Amir’s passion for mycology truly began when a journey of personal healing taught him first hand the power of medicinal mushrooms. He was compelled to share with others and being a part of a family of farmers was a blessing he couldn't overlook. He spent the next several years utilizing all of the experience and knowledge of mushroom farming that had been perfected over generations to research, develop, and grow the highest quality medicinal mushroom supplements - thus Alchemi Mushrooms was born. The driving ethos behind Alchemi’s medicinal mushroom products is: "if it's not good enough to give to our families, we won't sell it." I’m excited to learn about mushroom cultivation, medicine and more from someone who has mushrooms encoded in their DNA    TOPICS COVERED:   Generational Mushroom Farmer Discovers Medicinal Mushrooms  Decentralization & Consolidation in the Mushroom Industry  Monterey Mushrooms & Amycel  Breeding and Selecting Mushroom Genetics  Mushroom Mutations  Role of Large Agaricus Farms in Medicinal Mushroom Cultivation  The Birth of Alchemi Mushrooms & Monterey Neutraceuticals  Medicinal Benefits of Mushroom Mycelium & Fruit Bodies  Medicinal Mushroom Unknown Unknowns  Chitin & Polysaccharides in Mushroom Cell Walls  Alchemi Mushrooms Product Line  Cultivating Chaga  Innovation and Growth of the Mushroom Cultivation Industry  Advice for Mushroom Cultivators  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Alchemi Mushrooms Website: https://alchemimushrooms.com/Mushroomhour  Monterey Mushrooms Website: https://www.montereymushrooms.com/  Amycel Website: https://www.amycel.com/    Agaricus blazei: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaricus_subrufescens  Lignosus rhinocerus "Tiger Milk Mushroom":  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignosus_rhinocerus  Cordyceps: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cordyceps

Today on Mushroom Hour we have the privilege of speaking with Monica Wilde. Monica is a forager, research herbalist and ethnobotanist. She lives in Scotland in a self-built wooden house on 4 organic acres where she is encouraging the growth of medicinal and foraging species to create a wild, teaching garden. She is also a Research Herbalist specializing in Lyme disease & co-infections, and a Fellow of the Linnean Society. Monica holds a Master’s degree in Herbal Medicine, she is a Member of the Association of Forager and a Member of the British Mycological Society. I’m excited to learn from someone who embodies such deep natural wisdom on how to nourish both our bodies and Gaia through wild food and wild medicine.   TOPICS COVERED:    Childhood in Kenya & Connection to the Wild  Disconnection in Post-WWII Western Society  The Wisdom of Plants  The Language & Biosemiotics of Plants  Tenets of Herbalism   Ancient Roots of Herbalism  Herbalism and Pharmaceuticals   Money as a Religion  The Body as a Collection of Microbiomes  Understanding Lyme Disease  Shepherding Wild Plants & Mushrooms  Traditional Ecological Knowledge  Reciprocity with the Natural World  Lessons Learned from a Wild Food Diet  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Monica Wilde Website: https://monicawilde.com/  Monica Wilde Twitter: https://twitter.com/monicawilde  Monica Wilde IG: https://www.instagram.com/monicawilde/  Wild Medicine Substack: https://wildmedicine.substack.com/  Napiers Herbalists: https://napiers.net/  Monascus purpureus (Red Rice Yeast): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monascus_purpureus  Heracleum sphondylium (Common Hogweed): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_sphondylium  Heracleum mantegazzianum (Giant Hogweed): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum  Zach Bush: https://zachbushmd.com/  Lyme Disease: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease  Łukasz Łuczaj: http://thewildfood.org/  Pilosella officinarum (Mouse Ear Hawkweed): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilosella_officinarum  Association of Foragers: https://foragers-association.org/  Ganoderma applanatum (Artist Conk): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganoderma_applanatum  

Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we are honored to be joined by Else Vellinga.  In her career as a mycologist, Else has described 22 new mushroom species in California. Her most recent work is at the University and Jepson Herbaria at UC Berkeley, and at UCSF, on the Microfungi Collections Digitization project. She received her training at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands, and earned her PhD at the University of Leiden (layden).  Additionally, Else is a researcher and professor with the Bruns Laboratory at UC Berkeley. The main motivation for her taxonomic work is that it lays the basis for efforts to include mushroom species in nature management and conservation plans.  She has proposed several species for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a global database of endangered species. She concentrates especially on Lepiotas, or Parasol mushrooms.  Else is an avid knitter and uses mushroom dyed yarn for her creations.   TOPICS COVERED:   Growing up in Netherlands Wilderness  What are Scientific Names Based On?  Importance of Physical Features   Impact of DNA Sequences on Taxonomy  ITS, Multiple Gene Sequence and Whole Genome Phylogenetic Information  Monophyletic vs Paraphyletic Genera  What is Sufficient Difference to Make a New Taxonomic Grouping?  Relationship Between Genera and Clades  How are Names Selected? Does There Need to be a Consensus?  Process of Naming a Species  Potential Taxonomic Shakeups  Fungal Conservation  Fungal Diversity Survey  Official State Mushrooms  Education, Outreach and Awareness Central to Conservation Efforts  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Else Vellinga ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Else-Vellinga  University and Jepson Herbaria: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/  National Herbarium of the Netherlands: https://plants.jstor.org/partner/NHN  Bruns Laboratory: https://nature.berkeley.edu/brunslab/  IUCN Fungi List: https://www.iucn.org/commissions/ssc-groups/plants-fungi/fungi  Global Fungal Redlist Initiative: http://iucn.ekoo.se/en/iucn/welcome  Fungal Diversity Survey (FunDiS): https://fundis.org/  Lepiota (Fungal Genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepiota  Entoloma (Fungal Genus): https://www.mushroomexpert.com/entoloma.html  Cryptomarasmius (Fungal Genus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptomarasmius  

All the information discussed in this episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only! We do not encourage the use of any illicit and/or regulated substance.   Today on the Mushroom Hour Podcast we have the honor of speaking with authors Virginia Haze and Dr. K. Mandrake. Dr. Mandrake is a proponent of psychedelics from both a scientific and personal growth perspective. His long and varied education has mostly centered on biology, toxicology and mycology, culminating in a PhD in microbiology, which greatly influenced his home mushroom growing methods. Virginia Haze is a prolific writer and photographer with many books under her belt. She’s a regular contributor to publications that focus on recreational drugs and her photography has appeared in many books. She learned to grow mushrooms under the tutelage of Dr. K. Mandrake, has co-authored two books on the growing and use of shrooms, and has since become a fierce proponent of psilocybin decriminalization and the dissemination of science-backed information relating to psychedelics. I’m excited to speak with these two myconauts today about the two works they’ve written together, “The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible” and “The Psilocybin Chef Cookbook”.    TOPICS COVERED:   Discovering Psilocybin - UK Prohibition & Thai Milkshakes  First Attempts at Cultivation  Impact of Local Climate on Cultivation  Precautions in Exploring Cultivation  Sourcing Spores  Cultivation Hardware & Equipment  Contending with Contamination  Cultivation Cycle  Substrate Recipes   Monotub & Different Teks  Strains & Testing of Psilocybe cubensis  Dehydration & Preparation Methods  Magic Mushroom Recipes  Impact of the Books  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Psilocybin Mushroom Bible IG: https://www.instagram.com/themushroombible/  The Psilocybin Mushroom Bible (Book): https://bookshop.org/books/the-psilocybin-mushroom-bible-the-definitive-guide-to-growing-and-using-magic-mushrooms/9781937866280  The Psilocybin Chef Cookbook (Book): https://bookshop.org/books/the-psilocybin-chef-cookbook/9781937866419  Shroomery: https://shroomery.org  Spore Works: http://sporeworks.com/  Alexander Shulgin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Shulgin  David Nutt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Nutt  Flammulina velutipes (fungus): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enokitake

Today on Mushroom Hour we are joined by freethinker, activist and mycologist Dr. Patricia Kaishian. Dr. Kaishian received a B.A in Biology with a concentration in Environmental Studies in 2013 from Wheaton College, MA. In August 2020, she defended her Ph.D. in Forest Pathology & Mycology from SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry. She is broadly trained in the taxonomy of macro and micro fungi, with considerable field experience in the Neotropics. Currently, she is working as a postdoctoral researcher in the Aime Lab at Purdue University where she is serving as curator of fungi at the Arthur Fungarium & Kriebel Herbarium. Beyond more traditional scientific work, Dr. Kaishian also works in the realms like the philosophy of science, feminist bioscience, ecofeminism and queer theory, exploring how mycology and other scientific disciplines are situated in and informed by our sociopolitical landscape. She is a founding member of the International Congress of Armenian Mycologists, a research organization comprised of ethnically Armenian mycologists who seek to simultaneously advance mycological science and Armenian sovereignty and liberation.   TOPICS COVERED:   Childhood Embracing Nature in NY State  Activism & Science Intertwined  The Practice of Science & the Institution of Science  Western Eurocentric Perspectives Embedding into Modern Institutions  Historical Dynamics Between Institutional Science, Institutional Christianity, Agriculture & Colonization  Agro-Heterosexuality  Queer Theory & Queer Ecology  Mycology as a Queer Science  Upliftment of Marginalized People & Organisms  Influence of Dr. Robin Kimmerer  Armenian Advocacy  Link Between Biodiversity & Indigenous Sovereignty  Dr. Kaishian’s Research on Laboulbeniales & Rust Fungi  EPISODE RESOURCES:   Dr. Kaishian Twitter: https://twitter.com/queendom_fungiDr. Kaishian ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Patricia-Kaishian  "Mycology as a Queer Discipline" Paper: https://catalystjournal.org/index.php/catalyst/article/view/33523  Dr. George Hudler “Magical Mushrooms Mischievous Molds”: https://www.amazon.com/Magical-Mushrooms-Mischievous-George-Hudler/dp/0691070164  "Queer Ecologies": https://www.amazon.com/Queer-Ecologies-Nature-Politics-Desire/dp/0253222036  "The Mushroom at the End of the World": https://www.amazon.com/Mushroom-End-World-Possibility-Capitalist/dp/0691178321/  "Braiding Sweetgrass": https://www.amazon.com/Braiding-Sweetgrass-Indigenous-Scientific-Knowledge/dp/1571313567/  Tiokasin Ghosthorse: https://www.humansandnature.org/tiokasin-ghosthorseInternational Congress of Aremenian Mycologists: https://icarmenian-mycologists.github.io/  Entoloma salmoneum: https://www.mushroomexpert.com/entoloma_quadratum.html