green image of a fungi on blue background; featuring our Network's logo showing we are a Network of Excellence

REGISTER TO ATTEND

  • This is a hybrid event to ensure that our non-London members/audience can join for the talks remotely.
  • Please register to join us online.
  • In-person spaces at the event are offered on a first come, first served basis/in-person places NOW FULL (thank you for all the interest).

The Imperial Fungal Science Network is a hub for the mycology community, providing a leadership, advocacy and communications platform for mycologists and a developmental framework for future leaders in fungal research.

We warmly invite you to attend the Imperial Fungal Science Network – Summer Meeting 2024 taking place on Friday 7th June, 10:00 – 17:00 at 170 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 5HF.  

Researchers interested in the Network can find more information and join the Network via the dedicated website / Follow us @ImperialFungal

Scientific Program

09:30
Arrivals

10:00 – 10:10
Introductions & Network overview (Prof. Darius Armstrong-James)

10:10-11:40
Session 1: Pathogenesis of Fungal Diseases
Session Chairs: Prof. Darius Armstrong-James
, Dr Anand Shah

10:10
Keynote Speaker 1

Prof. Julian R. Naglik (Centre for Host Microbiome Interactions, King’s College London)
The peptide toxin candidalysin drives Candida albicans infections

10:35
Dr Sudaxshina Murdan (UCL School of Pharmacy, University College London)
Printing medicines directly on fungally-infected nails

10:45
Ms Sophie Appleyard & Ms Anna Szabo (Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London)
Mycoviruses in Aspergillus fumigatus and their effects on host sensitivity to anti-fungal drugs

10:55
Mr Tahsin Khan (Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b)
Emergence of the Novel Sixth Candida auris Clade VI in Bangladesh

11.:05
Dr Danielle Kurtin (Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London)
Exploring whether fungi-induced neuroplasticity facilitates personalised noninvasive brain stimulation

11:15    
Keynote Speaker 2
Dr Steve Templeton (Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine)
Adiponectin, Alveolar Macrophages, and Protection from Invasive Aspergillosis

11:40 – 12:10
Tea & Coffee Break
(30 minutes)

 —

12:10 – 13:15
Session 2: Biotechnology and Engineering
Session Chairs: Dr Claire Stanley, Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro

12:10
Keynote Speaker 3
Dr Claire Stanley (Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London)
talk title (to add)

12:35
Mr Timon Schneider (Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London)
Predicting RNA-seq experiments from DNA sequence

12:45
Mr Louis Cohen (Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London)
Insights into the behaviour of Mucoromycotina “fine root endophyte” behaviour using microfluidic technology

12:55
Ms Juline Savigny (Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London)
A novel biosensor toolkit to identify metabolic heterogeneity at the single cell level in S. cerevisiae

13.:05
Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro (Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London)
The Microbial Food Hub

13:15 – 14:30
Lunch
(75 minutes)

— 

14:30 – 16:55
Session 3: Ecology, Evolution and the Environment
Session Chairs: Prof. Martin Bidartondo, Dr Michalis Barkoulas, Prof. Ioly Kotta-Loizou

14:30
Keynote Speaker 4
Dr Irina Druzhinina (Accelerated Taxonomy, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew)
A LITTLE KEY WILL OPEN A LARGE DOOR: the role of fungal surface-active proteins in fungal fitness

14:55
Dr Jill Kowal (Ecosystem Stewardship, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew)
Endomycorrhizas and Ecological Restoration

15:05
Dr Flavia Pinzari (National Council of Research, Italy; Natural History Museum)
Extreme fungi all around us

15:15
Keynote Speaker 5
Prof. Akhtar Ali (The University of Tulsa)
Identification of mycoviruses to control Fusarium wilt of cotton in the southwestern United States

15:40 – 16:10     Tea & Coffee Break                                                                                                                                                                         (30 minutes)

 —

16:10
Dr Christine Strullu-Derrien (Science Group, Natural History Museum)
Fungi and fungus-like microorganisms in early environments

16:20
Prof. Martin Bidartondo (Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London & Royal Botanic Gardens Kew)
Positive controls for the wood wide web

16:30
Keynote Speaker 6
Prof. Nick Talbot (The Sainsbury Laboratory)
Defining the genetic control of infection-associated morphogenesis by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

17:00
Close
Followed by Drinks