mycologists

Mycologists are scientists who study fungi, a kingdom that includes yeasts, molds, mushrooms, and other fungi. They investigate the biology, ecology, genetics, evolution, and applications of fungi, as well as their interactions with other organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. Mycology is a broad field; mycologists may specialize in taxonomy and systematics, studying fungal diversity and describing new species, or in ecology, examining the roles of fungi in ecosystems as decomposers, mutualists, or pathogens. Medical mycology addresses fungal diseases in humans and animals, while plant pathology focuses on fungi that infect crops. Industrial or applied mycology explores how fungi are used in food production, fermentation, enzymes, pharmaceuticals, and bioremediation.

Work often combines field collection with laboratory work. Field studies document fungi in natural habitats; laboratory work may include culturing fungi, microscopy, and genetic analysis such as DNA sequencing and genome studies. Modern mycology relies on molecular phylogenetics and bioinformatics to resolve evolutionary relationships among fungi.

Mycologists work in universities, museums, government agencies, botanical and ecological research institutes, and private industry. Training typically includes an undergraduate degree in biology or microbiology, followed by graduate study in mycology, mycology-related disciplines, or plant pathology, and often a Ph.D. They publish in journals such as Mycologia or Fungal Genetics and Biology and participate in scientific societies like the International Mycological Association or Mycological Society of America.

Historically, early mycologists such as Micheli and Fries laid the foundations of fungal classification; today the field continues to expand with environmental DNA surveys and genome-scale studies.