Until very recently, the study of extremophiles has focused mainly on prokaryotic species. Now it is becoming clear that different fungal species have also adapted to live and are even able to thrive under extreme conditions.
The aim of this Research Topic is to gather a collection of articles related to the
First International Conference on Extremophilic Fungi that will take place in Ljubljana, Slovenia on September 19-22, 2023.
The conference will provide an excellent opportunity to meet researchers working in this new and exciting field. The program includes presentations from leading experts in the field and poster presentations.
In this Research Topic, we aim to gather a collection of high-quality articles covering different aspects of evolution, biodiversity, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, taxonomy, genomics, and biotechnology of (poly)extremophilic and (poly)extremotolerant fungi, in particular, but not limited to the following subtopics:
- Rock-inhabiting fungi
- Fungi in low water activity environments
- Fungi from Polar and Alpine environments
- Astrobiology and fungal dispersal
- Radiation, acidity and other extreme environments
- Black fungi
- Omics and molecular tools for extremophilic fungi
- Biotechnology and bioremediation
Note: This Research Topic (Highlights of the 1st FUN-EX conference: Evolution, biodiversity, taxonomy and genomics of extremophilic and extremotolerant fungi) is dedicated to Professor Nina Gunde-Cimerman, University of Ljubljana. More than 20 years ago, Professor Gunde-Cimerman, was among the very first who realized that fungi populate some extreme environments that were considered unsustainable for eukaryotic microorganisms. While her first observations were made in the salterns of her native Slovenia, she followed up by isolating and identifying known and new species of fungi in hot, cold, dry or salty environments on five continents as well as in certain domestic environments. Her research then became the basis for the formation of the new scientific field: Extremophilic Fungi. Her contribution to this field has been and continues to be significant and imaginative. It includes classical as well as advanced molecular and genomic methods to study biodiversity, taxonomy, physiology and population genetics. Naturally, professor Gunde-Cimerman is now the internationally respected pioneer in the field of extremophilic fungi and her remarkable scientific career has served as an example for researchers throughout the globe.
