09:00-10:00 Registration
10:00-10:20 Opening Remarks and Greetings
10:20-10:40 Reminiscences Lecture: Dalia Lewinsohn, Shamir Institute, Israel
10:40-11:00 Coffee Break
Chair: TBD
Tomislav Ivankovic, UNIZG, Croatia – Extending Capillary Biofilm Motility to Bacterial–Fungal Consortia
Mery Dafny Yelin, MIGAL; Newe Yaar, Israel – Inhibition of Athelia rolfsii-Induced Stem Rot in Tomatoes Using Secretions from the Black Soldier Fly
Samuel D. Nomo, BGU, Israel – Exploring a Green Alga Isolated from the Negev Desert for Sustainable Biological Control of Soil-Borne Diseases
Paz Shemesh, Technion, Israel – Optimizing Pichia pastoris as a Fermentation Platform for the Production of Alternative Proteins
12:05-13:00 Lunch Break
Chair: TBD
Gal Carmeli, BGU, Israel – Phagocytic Chemiluminescent Fingerprints to Monitor and Screen Bioactive Compounds in Mushroom Extracts
Ariel Kushmaro, BGU, Israel – Whole-Cell Bioreporter-Based Assay for Detecting Fungal-Derived ß-Lactamase Inhibitors
Robert S. Marks, BGU, Israel – Bioluminescent Whole-Cell Bioreporter Bacterial Panel for Screening and Discovery of Bioactive Compounds Derived from Mushrooms
Yarden Schindler Azut, TAU, Israel – Microplastic Removal and Biodegradation by Native Mediterranean Fungus Alternaria alternata
Shany Finkelstein Shatz, HUJI; Volcani Institute, Israel – Metarhizium brunneum Blastospores as a Promising Cost-Effective Biopesticide: Insights into Virulence, Tolerance, and Efficacy
Evgeni Eltzov, Volcani Institute, Israel – Early Detection of Quiescent Fungal Pathogens in Crops for Effective Disease Management
Eyal Kurzbaum, Shamir, Israel – Enhancing the Bioactive Components In Psilocybe Cubensis Mycelium: The Influence of Submerged Fermentation Conditions
César Silva, BGU, Israel – Myco Structures Formulation Process Using Liquid Mycelium Culture
Chair: TBD
Barak Dror, Solid Fermentation Innovation, Israel – Solid-state Fermentation: An Old Solution to New Problems
Shaked Barnea, Msics Pharma Ltd., Israel – Integration of Psilocybin Mushroom Cultivation, Botanical Regulation, and Pharmaceutical Applications
09:00-10:00 Registration
Chair: Prof. Shay Covo
Ofir Degani, Tel-Hai; MIGAL, Israel – Fungal Dynamics in Maize Late Wilt Disease: Intra-Species Interactions and Crosstalk with Fusarium verticillioides
Denberu Kebede, BGU, Israel – Exploring Premature Field Collapse During Late Growth Stage in Spring Session Potatoes in the Western Negev, Israel
Legese Hagos, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Ethiopia – Prevalence of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Ochratoxin A in Green Coffee Beans (Coffea arabica L.)
Nadav Nitzan, Valley of Springs, Israel – Fungicide Resistance in Stemphylium vesicarium, Cause of Stemphylium Leaf Blight of Garlic and Onion in Israel
11:00-11:30 Coffee Break
Nadav Smila, Volcani; HUJI, Israel – Characterization of Fungal Pathogens Causing Decay in Cold-Stored Carrots and Development of Sustainable Control Strategies
Shay Covo, HUJI, Israel – DNA Repair and Mutagenesis in Fusarium sp.
Maya Bar, BGU, Israel – Uncovering Factors Influencing Host Specificity and Mutualistic Beneficial Plant Interactions of the Phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea
12:30-13:30 Lunch Break
Chair: TBD
Daniel Elad, HUJI, Israel – Human Activities (Suspected) to Cause Changes in the Epidemiology of Fungal Diseases in Man and Animals
Esther Segal, TAU, Israel – What Is Hiding in Sand and Seawater in Beaches: Impact on Human Morbidity
Dalia Lewinsohn, Shamir Institute, Israel – The Epidemiology of Wild Mushroom Poisoning in Israel
Nir Osherov, TAU, Israel – Development of Azole Resistance in the pathogenic mold Aspergillus fumigatus: New Insights
Ofri Levi, Tel-Hai; MIGAL, Israel – Genome-wide CRISPRi Exploration of Plant-derived Compounds for Antifungal Potential
Mark Nuijten, A2M, The Netherlands; BGU, Israel – Clinical and Economic Valuation of Medical Innovation: Application to Mushrooms in Stroke
Edward Sionov, Volcani Institute, Israel – Molecular Mechanisms Governing Aneuploidy-Mediated Azole Resistance in Aspergillus flavus
Ory Perelsman, UOH, Israel – Lion's Mane Extracts Recover Electrophysiological Deficits in Neurons
Yahav Cohen, BGU, Israel – Candida albicans pathogenicity POCT
Meirav Leibman-Markus, Volcani Institute, Israel – Plant Structure and CK Balance Modulate Host-Specificity and Pathogenicity of B. cinerea
Yonat Tzur, MIGAL, Israel – AI-Driven Screening of Natural Compound Combinations Against Citrus Fruit Penicillium Pathogens
Chair: Dr. Liudmila Kalitukha
Eshed Haklai, Israel – Mushrooms' Effects on Cancer Hallmarks
Liudmila Kalitukha, Good Feeling Products GmbH, Germany – Fomes fomentarius: from Tindermaker to Medicinal Mushroom
Alona Yu. Biketova, Myco Expert; Jodrell Laboratory, UK; Association of Wild Fungi, Israel – Fungal Names Matter: The Critical Role of Nomenclature in Medicinal Macrofungi Research and Applications
Haim Leibovitzh, TAU; Ichilov, Israel – A Mushroom-Based Prebiotic Supplement Pilot Study among Patients with Crohn’s Disease
Mark Nuijten, A2M, The Netherlands; BGU, Israel – Cost-Effectiveness of Mushrooms in Depression
9:00 Bus leaves from Omer
9:30 Bus leaves from BGU
Details TBD
09:00-10:00 Registration
Chair: Dr. Alona Yu. Biketova
Segula Masaphy, Tel-Hai; MIGAL, Israel – The Plasticity Within the Morchella Genus: Species Identification, Habitats, and Trophic Mode
Chair: Segula Masaphy, Idan Pereman
Segula Masaphy, Tel-Hai; MIGAL, Israel – The Effect of Forest Thinning Regimes on Underground Fungal Taxonomic and Functional Diversity
Itai Opatovsky, Tel-Hai; MIGAL, Israel – The Metabolic Interactions Between the Black Soldier Fly and Fungi From Its Gut and Environment
11:00-11:30 Coffee Break
Stav Livne-Luzon, Weizmann Institute, Israel – Context Dependency in Diverse Effects of Common Mycorrhizal Networks
Idan Pereman, Tel-Hai; MIGAL, Israel – Diversity and Agricultural Potential of Truffles (Tuberaceae, Pezizales) in Israel
Hagai Shemesh, Tel-Hai, Israel – Richness, Community Structure, and Spatial Autocorrelation of Soil Fungi Along a Sharp Aridity Gradient in Monodominant Pine Forests
Nitsan Bar-Shmuel, Shamir; UOH, Israel – Evaluating Expert and Community Survey Methodologies for Macrofungal Monitoring in Israel
Chair: TBD
Elad Gillon, HUJI, Israel – New Fungi Species in Israel
Chair: TBD
Sandra Valabregue, HUJI, Israel – Mycelium-Based Technology & Spiritual Practices: Dialogues Between Jewish Mysticism and Shamanic Medicine
Eden Rosenberg, HUJI, Israel – Yeast Microbiome as a Biological Indicator for Identifying the Original Contents of Ancient Clay Vessels
Fredric Narcross, BGU, Israel – “Dermatophytosis in Art” Revisited – Have LLMs Improved Research?
Robert S. Marks, BGU, Israel – Dermatophytosis in Fine Art: An Update
Solid Fermentation Innovation sponsors the Best Poster Award (1,000NIS) – LinkedIn
15:15-16:00 Closed-door FUNGA committee
18:00 Mycophagy Potluck & Cookery (By Invitation)
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