Fungal Biodiversity 2020

This yearly course has now been transformed into a 1-week course. The course provides a concise overview of the biodiversity of organisms representing the Kingdom Fungi. The course focuses on systematics and general ecology of fungi, as well as related topics such as soil mycology and diagnostics of plant pathogens. Both visual and molecular recognition methods will be discussed and practical hands-on experience will be gained in the morphological recognition and cultivation of fungi. The course is intended for (micro)biology students, PhD students, technicians and scientists/students who would like to obtain a fundamental understanding of fungi

Outline of the topics treated in this course:

  •  General Introduction 
  •  General methods: Aseptic working, media and incubation, microscopic examination of Fungi
  •  Introduction to the Fungal Kingdom with examples: Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, deuteromycetes, yeasts
  •  Zygomycota (Mucoromycotina)
  •  Asexual morphs and conidiogenesis
  •  Ascomycota:
  • Eurotiomycetes: Aspergillus, Penicillium, Paecilomyces and sexual morphs with examples;
  • Sordariomycetes I: Chaetomium, Bartalinia, Pestalotiopsis, Colletotrichum, Gliomastix, Microascus/Scopulariopsis, Sordaria, Thielaviopsis;
  • Sordariomycetes  II: Neocosmospora/Fusarium, Cylindrocarpon, Cylindrocladium, Trichoderma.
  • Dothidiomycetes and selected genera of Leotiomycetes: Cladosporium, Septoria, Alternaria, Curvularia, Didymella, Epicoccum, Paraphaeosphaeria, Ascodesmis, Botrytis, Pezicula.
  •  Basidiomycota – an introduction with examples of species in culture
  •  Molecular methods for identification
  •  Yeasts: biology, phylogenies and polyphasic identification
  •  Polyphasic identification and other aspects of bioinformatics
  •  Clinical fungi diagnostics
  •  Fungi in our daily life 
  •  Tour through the CBS collection

Course leaders:
Prof Dr Pedro Crous and Dr Gerard Verkley.
Topical lectures will be presented by specialists from the Westerdijk Institute and invited speakers.

Language of instruction:
The course is given in the English language, but several other languages are spoken (Dutch, German).

Lunches and the Course book Laboratory Manual Series I: Fungal Biodiversity by Crous et al. are included in course fee. Accomodation and other meals are excluded.

Price: € 1700

Venue: Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, Uppsalalaan 8, The Netherlands.

Start & end dates: 10 February 2020, 14 February 2020

Workshops & Courses

Workshops & Courses (no fixed date)