EverymanBio

I’m super excited to share this discovery! The plastic-eating fungus is HERE! OK - Here’s the deal: Earlier this month, scientists reportedly found a strain of fungus from floating plastic debris in the ocean that showed potential to break down polyethylene (the stuff plastic bags are made of). It turns out, I had this species in my library already! So I decided to see if, just maybe, my terrestrial strain was also capable of colonizing plastic. I knew it might be a long shot but my curiosity got the best of me… so why not try and see? With a week left before my vacation, I decided to kick off the experiment. I grabbed a plastic Walmart bag and began the UV pretreatment process (a necessary component for successful plastic degradation). After a week, I plated some small pieces of the pretreated bag and inoculated a few plates with the strain. After just 3 days, I returned to find the plate covered with fungus that was colonizing the plastic! It even appears like some of the spores that dislodged from initial inoculation show a preference for areas where the plastic is present. I’ve run other experiments like this before and never have they colonized or shown an affinity for the plastic in this way. This is super exciting, but still preliminary. There are still many questions to answer and research (like quantifying the degree of polyethylene degradation, characterizing the byproducts, etc). But this is still a HUGE find and so far, my result resembles that of previous research closely. A win for bioprospecting for sure! I’m 100% going to continue to pursue this incredible lead and explore validating the result. We have got to scale this! I’m having visions of huge warehouses with conveyor belts filled with captured polyethylene (talking to you The Ocean Cleanup) getting pretreated, inoculated and turned into something useful! Please share this and if you know someone who can help with validating, commercializing and scaling this incredible find, please DM me. Link to the aforementioned research: https://lnkd.in/dFU8SCBx Edit with added context: * I would like to emphasize that two other strains of this species were previously published as having the ability to break down plastic before my experiment (most recent paper linked) * I’ve DNA sequenced my strain to confirm I’m using the same species * Simply observing fungi growing in MEA over plastic is not conclusive of plastic degrading ability * A lot more science is to yet be done to fully characterize the findings * For obvious reasons, one being the venue (LinkedIn), I am not sharing every bit of data that I have on my experiments #environmental #plastic #fungi #mushrooms #molds #science #biotech #enzymes #r&d #startups #earth #discovery #mycology #biology #recycling #ocean #marine #polyethylene #indiebio #fungus #bioprospecting #microbes #cleanup #carbon #co2

This marine-based fungus was isolated from moss on a polluted beach at the foot of the El Segundo Power Plant in Los Angeles. A few months back, my friend and mushroom cultivator, Connor Young, made his first trip to visit me in Virginia since I left LA two years ago. And like a good friend, he made sure to bring me lots of raw samples for prospecting fungi! Amongst those samples was a glob of sandy sea moss plucked from the beach overlooking a massive 500 watt natural gas-powered electric power plant. How do I know it’s polluted? When I lived in LA, I did several beach clean ups all along the south shore and it’s absolutely full of trash from pollution, litter, and run-off. Although it’s quite tragic for us humans, the unique pressures on the environment make for great fungal prospecting since it is these pressures that quite often yield fantastic natural products. Among several species I isolated from the sample was this beautiful species of Emericellopsis fuci. Emericellopsis sp. are known for their ability to produce a variety of biologically active secondary metabolites (including peptaibols - bioactive peptides that are often antimicrobial).  But like most of the fungal kingdom, this genus is largely understudied. Marine-fungi in particular hold great promise in the field of drug discovery. Combine marine-based sources with another unique vector (like pollution or a unique host) and I think science will find a treasure trove of molecular gold just waiting to be dug up. Marine-based fungal prospecting holds a special place in my heart. I look forward to the opportunity to travel the world prospecting unique strains from the world's great bodies of water one day. Until then, this one will find a nice home in my strain library! #marine #ocean #fungi #yeast #biologics #biology #biotech #naturalproducts #research #discovery #mushroom #science #metabolites #genetics #microbiology #molecules #pollution #environment #water #drugdiscovery #peptides #proteins #losangeles #elsegundo #power #energy #naturalgas #beach #sand #moss

Here’s a rare strain of yeast I isolated from a granite wall in an old train tunnel! Even though this strain is undescribed (not yet named or characterized), it was previously detected just one other time back in 2016 when a group of scientists characterized subaerial biofilms on some of the historic granite buildings at Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This species must really love granite! (or possibly parasitizing other granite-occupying microbes). It is a basidiomycetous yeast in the family Cuniculitremaceae, most likely in the genus Kockovaella. Coincidentally, the strain I isolated matches 99.6% with two strains the Spanish researchers identified. Much of the existing research of fungi in this family has been focused on taxonomy, ecology, and evolutionary relationships, but quite little has been done on secondary metabolites and natural products production. Doing a quick search, I was able to find some species of Kockovaella being used to produce coenzyme Q10 (an antioxidant which plays an important role in the energy production of cells in the body). The lack of research in this family of fungi leaves open a big opportunity for those searching for the next big natural product discovery. Let’s get to work! Link to paper: https://lnkd.in/d4X-4yVY #fungi #mycology #naturalproducts #discovery #molds #yeast #coenzyme #enzymes #coq10 #coenzyme #taxonomy #span #unesco #kockovaella #spanish #science #granite #unesco #energy #pharmacognosy #microbes #biology #biotech #microbiology #biofilm

Check out this mold I isolated from a granite wall in a Virginia cave! This fungus is most closely related to the species Sirastachys phaeospora (88% similarity - ITS) and is likely an undescribed species in the Stachybotryaceae family where many of you, especially in the mold remediation business, might have heard of its relative, Stachybotrys chartarum aka Toxic Black Mold. That name is a bit misleading though. Lot's of molds are black and even more product toxins. But not all toxins are created equal. Fungi in the Stachybotryaceae family are renowned for their production of various natural products, including: 1. Mycotoxins These potent trichothecene mycotoxins have cytotoxic properties, meaning they can kill cells. Controlled and purified versions of trichothecene mycotoxins can be leveraged in cancer treatment research due to their ability to target and destroy cancer cells. 2. Spirocyclic Drimanes These compounds are known for their antifungal and antibacterial properties. 3. Phenylspirodrimanes With their potential immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory activities, phenylspirodrimanes are being studied for their therapeutic applications in conditions like autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. 4. Cyclosporins Cyclosporins are famous for their immunosuppressive properties, widely used in organ transplantation to prevent rejection. 5. Sesquiterpenoids These terpenes exhibit antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. The potential discovery of new sesquiterpenoids from our Virginia cave fungus could lead to novel treatments in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, particularly for skin conditions and infections. Really excited to add this as the 300th! strain to my private strain library. Thanks to everyone who has offered to help me screen the collection and hopefully find something really valuable to help mankind! #molds #fungi #naturalproducts #mycology #biology #biotech #virginia #lynchburg #stachybotrys #toxic #blackmold #caves #antibiotics #antinflammatory #terpenes #cyclosporins #pharmaceuticals #cosmetics #antifungal #science #moldremediation #remediation #environmental

Who loves insect-associated fungi? Check out this fascinating find I isolated from a centipede in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A couple of months ago, I visited a friend near Gatlinburg, Tennessee and seized the chance to explore the Smoky Mountains in search of molds. While turning over logs, I stumbled upon a multi-legged critter covered in a fuzzy layer of fungus. After carefully collecting the sample and bringing it back to my lab, I successfully identified four different species of insect-associated fungi from the centipede. This particular one is closely related to Beauveria brongniartii. Like other entomopathogens, it infects its host by adhering to and penetrating the insect’s body. Beauveria species produce a variety of natural products including Beauvericin, Bassianin, Oosporein, Destruxins, and Ergolines. These compounds exhibit antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. By 2031, the global market for Beauveria bassiana is projected to reach approximately USD $369.81 million with an annual growth rate of about 17%! This growth is fueled by the demand for natural biological pesticides aligned with sustainable agriculture and environmental conservation practices. Maybe I should start selling "Josh’s All Natural Bug-Be-Gone" with my own blend of Beauveria? Who’s in? #fungi #mushrooms #molds #nature #forest #biotech #science #medicine #immunity #antifungal #antiinflammatory #naturalproducts #beauveria #tennessee #cyclosporin #pharmaceautical #medtech #r&d #research #mycology #biology #immunology #naturalproducts #pharmaceuticals #agtech #pesticide #agriculture #insects #centipedes #bugs #microbes #microbiology #sustainability #farming #gatlinburg #entomopathogenic #insecticide

Check out this cold-loving (psychrophilic) fungus I isolated from a cave, a first of its kind for the state of Virginia. I’ve been pretty busy lately contracting with a really cool health tech company (Wellth), but that hasn’t stopped me from bioprospecting new and exciting strains for my library. This year, I've concentrated on exploring fungi in Virginia's diverse cave environments, starting with the Hollins Mill Tunnel, a 450-foot-long railroad tunnel turned trail, built by Irish immigrants and slaves in 1852. The one featured here is a close relative to Pseudogymnoascus pannorum (formerly Geomyces) and is one of dozens I've isolated from the tunnel so far. Many other close relatives are typically found in cave environments around the world and more interestingly, in the arctic! This genus truly loves the cold! In future research, we may find that it’s adaptation to cave environments and the colder temperatures yield some wonderful genetics that may produce really valuable compounds. You’ll see in photos that it produces quite a bit of metabolite on the surface of mature colonies. I’ve built up quite a queue of new findings that I look forward to sharing with you over the next few weeks! #naturalproducts #discovery #biotech #education #science #fungus #psychrophilic #cave #research #virginia #bioprospecting #strains #naturalcompounds #genetics #metabolites #exploration #healthtech #innovation #pharmacognosy #lynchburg

Happy fungus Friday! Check out this beautiful oyster mushroom! This is a species Pleurotus cystidiosus that I isolated from a fruiting body in the Tennessee mountains. It's commonly known as the "abalone mushroom" and prized for its robust taste and high nutritional content. The photographs below show it in its anamorphic (asexual) state producing black globules of spores from what the literature calls "synnematoid fructifications" - or stalk-like hyphae that give rise to reproductive fruiting structures. It was originally described by the French mycologists Marcel Narcisse Théophile Patouillard and Charles Trabut in 1897. Another notable French mycologist was Roger Heim, who described many of the first known hallucinogenic mushrooms in Psilocybe and even developed some of the first cultivation techniques still in use today. He worked alongside Albert Hofmann who would later go on to isolate and characterize psilocybin and psilocin. Both Hofmann and Heim played a crucial role in understanding the chemistry of psychedelics and also in legitimizing psychedelic research, the impacts of which are still felt today. Whether by feeding us, expanding our minds or opening up new avenues for natural products, fungi continue to create meaningful connections for all of us. Have a great weekend! - Josh #fungusfriday #mushrooms #psychedelics #pleurotuscystidiosus #mycology #biotech #history #rogerheim #alberthofmann #biology #foodtech #science #molds #lsd #culture #naturalproducts #chemistry #mushroomcultivation #fungi #psilocybin #research #friday #fungifriday

Check out this incredible Mortierella species I found in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee! I recently visited a commercial mushroom cultivator in eastern Tennessee and used the opportunity to do some bioprospecting for molds. Among the samples I brought back to my lab was an infected isopod found under a log. From the infected insect, I isolated several strains, including this beautiful Mortierella. I’ve been researching Mortierella quite a bit over the years. Among many of the natural products produced by the organism are omega-3 & 6 poly-unsuturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like arachidonic acid (a key ingredient in baby food formula) and eicosapentaenoic acid. We need new cost effective means of producing these essential long chain fatty acids here in the United States and that’s something I’ve really been thinking a lot about. It’s not an easy task to do cost-effectively, but this strain and several of the other oleaginous fungi in my library might prove to be high-yielding producers proving me the boost needed to jump-start scalable production. If anyone is interested in funding and/or collaborating in this experiment, reach out - especially those with GC/HPLC access. I’d like to thank everyone in my network who has supported my journey as both a Software Engineer (#forhire) and Independent Scientist (also #forhire). It’s never too late to pursue your dreams. If we can make any kind of incremental progress in our fields, no matter how small, then all of the work, pain and struggle will have been worth it. Together, we can go far! #mycology #fungi #molds #biology #mortierella #softwareengineer #leadership #entrepreneur #science #randd #biotech #naturalproducts #tennessee #smokymountains #babyfood #breastmilk #formula #genomics #research #lipids #oleaginous #startups #inspiration #jobs #career #entemopathogenic #isopod #entomology #career #jobs #academia #smokymountains #nature #bioprospecting #opentowork

I'm honored to announce that I've been invited to give a lecture on Molds to the Wisconsin Mycological Society this week! The State of Wisconsin is a vibrant state with an incredible citizen science and academic community that continues to make valuable contributions to the field of mycology and pharmacognosy. I consider it a great privilege to give my first state-wide lecture on the potential for molds in natural products research to this group! How can you listen? Simply become a WMS member today! Tap into the Wisconsin fungal community and get access to a fantastic series of events such as this one: https://lnkd.in/dZPFbTWg #lecture #science #wisconsin #mycology #naturalproducts #fungi #mushrooms #event #citizenscience #academia #biologic #pharmacognosy #molds #aspergillus #pencillium #agtech #madisonwi #milwaukee #phd #education #randd

Behold, one of the largest organisms on Earth! Armillaria species (aka honey mushrooms) are known to form mycelial networks that can spread for miles and survive for centuries. One such specimen, found in Malheur National Forest in eastern Oregon, USA covered over 2000 acres and was considered to be around a thousand years old! I isolated and sequenced this specimen of Armillaria gallica from a decaying log in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Lynchburg, Virginia. As evident from the accompanying photos, it exhibits fascinating root-like structures known as rhizomorphs. These thread-like formations consist of densely packed mycelium and serve crucial functions, including nutrient transport, long-distance survival, and the ability to parasitize neighboring tree root systems. Aside from this organism's incredible morphology, it’s also known to produce powerful secondary metabolites. Compounds such as tricyclic sesquiterpene aryl esters (melleolides) have been found to have phytotoxic effects on a variety of trees throughout the world. Many of the isolated natural products from Armillaria have also shown antibacterial and antifungal activity, making them of interest in potential pharmaceutical applications. Clearly, this organism has evolved some incredible abilities that have allowed it to expand and thrive across the globe. We’ve only scratched the surface of understanding its ecological role and biological significance. Like most fungi, there is much more research to be done to understand how we can harness the full potential of these magnificent organisms. #fungi #mushrooms #naturalproducts #pathogens #trees #nature #rhizomorph #blueridgemountains #lynchburgva #virginia #biology #biotech #metabolism #pharmaceutical #antiviral #antibiotics #phytochemicals #honeymushroom #forest #mycology #oregon #science #research #mycelium #phytotoxicity #genomics