Day 1 – Sunday, 7 Dec 2025

Session – Mycology Science

Chair: TBD

Session – Applied Mycology

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

Session – Myco-Industry

Chair: TBD

Day 2 – Monday, 8 Dec 2025

Session – Medical Mycology

Chair: TBD

Session – Plant Pathology

Chair: TBD

Evgeni Eltzov, Volcani, Israel – Early Detection of Quiescent Fungal Pathogens in Crops for Effective Disease Management

Ofir Degani, MIGAL; Tel-Hai, Israel – Fungal Dynamics in Maize Late Wilt Disease: Intra-Species Interactions and Crosstalk With Fusarium verticillioides

Mery Dafny Yelin, MIGAL; Newe Yaar, Israel – Inhibition of Athelia rolfsii-Induced Stem Rot in Tomatoes Using Secretions From the Black Soldier Fly

Nadav Nitzan, Valley of Springs, Israel – Fungicide Resistance in Stemphylium vesicarium, Cause of Stemphylium Leaf Blight of Garlic and Onion in Israel

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.

Session – Medicinal Macrofungi

Chair: Dr. Liudmila Kalitukha

Tali Avron, Israel – Spores and Cycles: Women, Psilocybin, and Hormonal Health

Eshed Haklai, Israel – Mushrooms' Effects on Cancer Hallmarks

Mark Nuijten, The Netherlands – Potential Pricing and Reimbursement Framework

Day 3 – Tuesday, 9 Dec 2025

Mushroom Foray & Wild Mushroom Happening 

 Details TBD

Head Chef – Karolina Rudnicka, Poland, chef (and scientist)

Sous-Chefs – TBD

• Fresh mushrooms collected during the mushroom farm tour, together with a mixture of Asian dried exotic fungi, will be the basis of stews, soups, dishes, and whatnot.
• Each volunteer chef will propose a selection of dishes.

Day 4 – Wednesday, 10 Dec 2025

Session – Fungal Taxonomy & Evolution

Chair: TBD

Session – Biodiversity & Ecology of Fungi

Chair: Segula Masaphy

Sylwia Różalska (Keynote), UL, Poland – Entomopathogenic Fungi – Exploring Hidden Potential

Segula Masaphy, MIGAL, Israel – The Effect of Forest Thinning Regimes on Underground Fungal Taxonomic and Functional Diversity

Itai Opatovsky, MIGAL; Tel-Hai, Israel – The Metabolic Interactions Between the Black Soldier Fly and Fungi From Its Gut and Environment

Session – Ethno-Mycology

Chair: TBD

Fredric Narcross, BGU, Israel – “Dermatophytosis in Art” Revisited – Have LLMs Improved Research?

Robert S. Marks, BGU, Israel – Dermatophytoses in Art

Day 5 – Thursday, 11 Dec 2025

Mushroom Farm Tours

Details TBD