Mycology

Mycology is the study of fungi. Fungi are a diverse group of organisms that are essential to the ecology of the planet and have important uses in agriculture, food production, bioremediation, and medicine. Fungi provide unique insights into evolutionary relationships and offer new directions in biotechnology and biochemistry. Mycology research has led to the discovery of new drugs, pensicillin, statins, and antifungal agents. It has helped us understand how fungi cause plant and animal diseases, the mechanisms of decomposition, how to grow edible and medicinal mushrooms, and how to control crop pests. Mycologists are working to develop sustainable methods of food production, develop drugs to fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria, reduce pollution, and address climate change.