Consequences (often yummy) when fungi battle for wood June 1

Illinois Mycological Association

Glory and consequences (often yummy) when fungi battle for wood.
Jonathan Schilling
Associate Professor at University of Minnesota

June 1, 2015 at 7:30 pm @ Kendall College

Wood-degrading fungi cause problems in lumber,
are pathogens in trees, and are increasingly being studied for
biotechnology. They also recycle the carbon in forest wood, where 80% of
Earth's biotic carbon is stored. These diverse lineages of fungi have
adopted distinct ways of making energy from wood carbon, and there are
local and global consequences to their varied 'lifestyles.' My talk will
introduce these unique characters of forests along with their mechanisms
for colonizing and metabolizing wood. It will be a presentation with
many of my own photographs.


Jonathan Schilling
Associate Professor at University of Minnesota
http://www.bbe.umn.edu/people/faculty/jonathanschilling

Areas of Interest
Wood-degrading microbes are uniquely adapted to metabolize carbon from
recalcitrant, nitrogen-poor lignocellulose. These organisms, principally
basidiomycetous fungi, are managed pests in the built environment;
however, they play a vital role in forest biogeochemistry, and their
mechanisms offer commercial potential in biofuels, bioplastics, and
bioremediation. My research therefore aims to better characterize the
mechanisms of wood biodegradation and to apply this information to wood
preservation, forest management, and ‘green’ biotechnology.


IMA MEETING LOCATION

Kendall College- School of Culinary Arts
900 N. North Branch Street, Chicago, IL 60642
(Located just north of W. Chicago Ave. at Halsted St.)


PARKING AND ENTERING THE BUILDING:

• There is free parking on the north side of the school-NOT in the front of the school.
• You will need to pass security as you enter the building.
• Our meeting room may be subject to change. Please ask about the room number as you enter.


DETAILED DIRECTION TO KENDALL COLLEGE:

http://www.kendall.edu/about/directions-to-campus

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