{"id":26568,"date":"2026-01-08T11:14:51","date_gmt":"2026-01-08T16:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/?post_type=story&p=26568"},"modified":"2026-02-05T10:47:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:47:37","slug":"we-depend-on-fungi-for-absolutely-everything","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/www.clarku.edu\/news\/2026\/01\/08\/we-depend-on-fungi-for-absolutely-everything\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018We depend on fungi for absolutely everything\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Tabima Lab expands research with $956K National Science Foundation grant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With fungal samples gathered from around the Western Hemisphere, mycologist and Biology<\/a> Professor Javier Tabima Restrepo<\/a> seeks to understand the evolution of the microscopic species Basidiobolus<\/em>, which could lead to discoveries in medicine, agriculture, and environmental science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tabima investigates relationships among Basidiobolus <\/em>species and is expanding his research with the support of a $956,000 National Science Foundation grant. His lab will examine how secondary metabolite genes vary across species, and test whether some of these genes were acquired from bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. The studies will explore how natural selection and other evolutionary forces shape these genes within populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDay-to-day, at every single moment, we depend on fungi for absolutely everything,\u201d says Tabima, the Mary Despina Lekas Endowed Chair in\u00a0Biology. \u201cAt the molecular level, we’re still trying to understand why fungi are so weird and unique.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n