1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, 2185 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
3 Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics, Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada.
4 Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada.
5 Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 474-570 Gordon Street, Guelph, ON N1G 1Y2, Canada.
6 Département de biologie and Département de biochimie, microbiologie et bio-informatique, Université Laval, 1030, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
7 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 8440 112 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada.
8 Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 223 College Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1R4, Canada.
9 Department of Microbiology, Infectious Disease and Immunology, Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, 5000, rue Bélanger, Montréal, QC H1T 1C8, Canada.
10 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, 3775, rue University, Room 511, Montréal, QC H3A 2B4.
11 McGill Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity, 3666 McTavish Street, 2nd Floor, Montréal, QC H3Y 1Y2, Canada.
12 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 11335 Saskatchewan Drive NW, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H5, Canada.
13 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada.
14 Department of Biology, Acadia University, 33 Westwood Avenue, Room 302, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6, Canada.
15 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Biological Sciences Building, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
16 Department of Microbiology, University of Manitoba, 213 Buller Building, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
17 Department of Statistics, University of Manitoba, 318 Machray Hall, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.

The Canadian Fungal Research Network: current challenges and future opportunities.

Can J Microbiol. 2020 Jul 27;:

Authors: Horianopoulos LC, Gluck-Thaler E, Benoit Gelber I, Cowen LE, Geddes-McAlister J, Landry CR, Schwartz IS, Scott JA, Sellam A, Sheppard DC, Spribille T, Subramaniam R, Walker AK, Harris SD, Shapiro RS, Gerstein A

Abstract

Fungi critically impact the health and function of global ecosystems and economies. In Canada, fungal researchers often work within silos defined by sub-discipline and institutional type, complicating the collaborations necessary to understand the impacts fungi have on the environment, economy, and plant and animal health. Here, we announce the establishment of the Canadian Fungal Research Network (CanFunNet, https://fungalresearch.ca) whose mission is to strengthen and promote fungal research in Canada by facilitating dialogue among scientists. We summarize the challenges and opportunities for Canadian fungal research that were discussed at CanFunNet's inaugural meeting in 2019, and identify four priorities for our community: 1) increasing collaboration among scientists; 2) studying diversity in the context of ecological disturbance; 3) preserving culture collections in the absence of sustained funding; and 4) leveraging diverse expertise to attract trainees. We have gathered additional information to support our recommendations, including a survey identifying underrepresentation of fungal-related courses at Canadian universities, a list of Canadian fungaria and culture collections, and a case study of a human fungal pathogen outbreak. We anticipate that these discussions will help prioritize fungal research in Canada, and we welcome all researchers to join this nationwide effort to enhance knowledge dissemination and funding advocacy.

PMID: 32717148 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]