The Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute
@westerdijkinst.bsky.social
Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute. Explore-Study-Preserve-Apply. Enriching and expanding the world's most excellent microbial biological resource centre.
🔗: https://wi.knaw.nl/
🔗: https://wi.knaw.nl/
📅 When: 23–27 February 2026
📍 Where: Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
👉 Secure your spot now!
📍 Where: Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
👉 Secure your spot now!
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wi.knaw.nl
November 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM
📅 When: 23–27 February 2026
📍 Where: Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
👉 Secure your spot now!
📍 Where: Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
👉 Secure your spot now!
🧫 Gain hands-on experience with fungal cultivation and microscopy.
🏛️ Includes a tour of the CBS culture collection!
Perfect for students, PhD candidates, and professionals eager to deepen their mycological knowledge.
🏛️ Includes a tour of the CBS culture collection!
Perfect for students, PhD candidates, and professionals eager to deepen their mycological knowledge.
November 18, 2025 at 9:02 AM
🧫 Gain hands-on experience with fungal cultivation and microscopy.
🏛️ Includes a tour of the CBS culture collection!
Perfect for students, PhD candidates, and professionals eager to deepen their mycological knowledge.
🏛️ Includes a tour of the CBS culture collection!
Perfect for students, PhD candidates, and professionals eager to deepen their mycological knowledge.
Wonyong Kim, Tania Keiko Shishido, Huong T. Pham, Kyo Bin Kang, Rundong Liu, Matti Wahlsten, Jerome Collemare, Hyun Park, Soon-Ok Oh, Hyung-Ho Ha, Hangun Kim, and Jae-Seoun Hur
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Wonyong Kim, Tania Keiko Shishido, Huong T. Pham, Kyo Bin Kang, Rundong Liu, Matti Wahlsten, Jerome Collemare, Hyun Park, Soon-Ok Oh, Hyung-Ho Ha, Hangun Kim, and Jae-Seoun Hur
Congratulations to the authors, and especially to Tania Keiko Shishido, who was a guest postdoc at the Westerdijk Institute and successfully performed the very first heterologous expression of a lichen gene in the host Aspergillus oryzae.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Congratulations to the authors, and especially to Tania Keiko Shishido, who was a guest postdoc at the Westerdijk Institute and successfully performed the very first heterologous expression of a lichen gene in the host Aspergillus oryzae.
🔗 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞:
“Deciphering the biosynthetic pathways of lichen acids.” New Phytologist (2025).
“Deciphering the biosynthetic pathways of lichen acids.” New Phytologist (2025).
Deciphering the biosynthetic pathways of lichen acids
Depsides and depsidones are polyketide-derived lichen acids widely distributed in lichen thalli, yet the biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) responsible for their production remain poorly understood. ...
doi.org
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
🔗 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞:
“Deciphering the biosynthetic pathways of lichen acids.” New Phytologist (2025).
“Deciphering the biosynthetic pathways of lichen acids.” New Phytologist (2025).
3️⃣ By inserting lichen genes into Aspergillus oryzae, the researchers successfully produced notable lichen acids, including 4-O-demethylbarbatic acid and virensic acid, showing that these pathways can be reconstructed outside of lichens.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
3️⃣ By inserting lichen genes into Aspergillus oryzae, the researchers successfully produced notable lichen acids, including 4-O-demethylbarbatic acid and virensic acid, showing that these pathways can be reconstructed outside of lichens.
2️⃣ Species differ not only in these core genes but also in the “tailoring enzymes” surrounding them. These enzymes modify the initial molecule in different ways, explaining why some lichens make simple compounds while others produce chemically complex “depsidones.”
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
2️⃣ Species differ not only in these core genes but also in the “tailoring enzymes” surrounding them. These enzymes modify the initial molecule in different ways, explaining why some lichens make simple compounds while others produce chemically complex “depsidones.”
📌 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬:
1️⃣ The study identifies PKS1 and PKS23 as key polyketide synthases. These enzymes initiate the synthesis of important lichen acids such as atranorin and barbatic acid.
1️⃣ The study identifies PKS1 and PKS23 as key polyketide synthases. These enzymes initiate the synthesis of important lichen acids such as atranorin and barbatic acid.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
📌 𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬:
1️⃣ The study identifies PKS1 and PKS23 as key polyketide synthases. These enzymes initiate the synthesis of important lichen acids such as atranorin and barbatic acid.
1️⃣ The study identifies PKS1 and PKS23 as key polyketide synthases. These enzymes initiate the synthesis of important lichen acids such as atranorin and barbatic acid.
By combining genomics, synthetic biology and chemistry, this international collaboration between the Westerdijk Institute, Chonnam National University and Sunchon National University (South Korea), and the University of Helsinki, the team uncovered the blueprints of lichen acids.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
By combining genomics, synthetic biology and chemistry, this international collaboration between the Westerdijk Institute, Chonnam National University and Sunchon National University (South Korea), and the University of Helsinki, the team uncovered the blueprints of lichen acids.
Yet, the genes and enzymes behind these compounds have remained largely mysterious because lichen fungi grow slowly and are difficult to manipulate in the lab.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Yet, the genes and enzymes behind these compounds have remained largely mysterious because lichen fungi grow slowly and are difficult to manipulate in the lab.
Understanding how lichen produce their natural chemicals could lead to:
✨ Sustainable lab-based production of valuable lichen compounds
✨ New bio-inspired medicines or antioxidants
✨ Better insight into how lichens evolved and adapted over millions of years
✨ Sustainable lab-based production of valuable lichen compounds
✨ New bio-inspired medicines or antioxidants
✨ Better insight into how lichens evolved and adapted over millions of years
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Understanding how lichen produce their natural chemicals could lead to:
✨ Sustainable lab-based production of valuable lichen compounds
✨ New bio-inspired medicines or antioxidants
✨ Better insight into how lichens evolved and adapted over millions of years
✨ Sustainable lab-based production of valuable lichen compounds
✨ New bio-inspired medicines or antioxidants
✨ Better insight into how lichens evolved and adapted over millions of years
Lichen acids protect lichens from sunlight, insects, microbes, and other stresses. They’re also of growing interest for medicine, cosmetics, and biotechnology.
November 13, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Lichen acids protect lichens from sunlight, insects, microbes, and other stresses. They’re also of growing interest for medicine, cosmetics, and biotechnology.
Read more here (Dutch):
Alle Nederlandse plant-, dier- en schimmelsoorten krijgen barcode in DNA-bibliotheek
Naturalis lanceert vandaag een nieuwe DNA-bibliotheek waarin alle soorten die in Nederland leven een plekje krijgen. Dat is nog niet eerder op deze schaal gebeurd.
nos.nl
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Read more here (Dutch):
And with hundreds of citizen scientists helping to collect specimens across the country, it truly is a national effort.
A big thank-you to the many colleagues, researchers, technicians, and volunteers who made this possible.
A big thank-you to the many colleagues, researchers, technicians, and volunteers who made this possible.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
And with hundreds of citizen scientists helping to collect specimens across the country, it truly is a national effort.
A big thank-you to the many colleagues, researchers, technicians, and volunteers who made this possible.
A big thank-you to the many colleagues, researchers, technicians, and volunteers who made this possible.
From monitoring fenced dune areas to evaluate grazing pressure to assessing the ecological impact of offshore wind farms or nature-inclusive construction, ARISE is opening new doors for evidence-based environmental decision-making.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
From monitoring fenced dune areas to evaluate grazing pressure to assessing the ecological impact of offshore wind farms or nature-inclusive construction, ARISE is opening new doors for evidence-based environmental decision-making.
Tasks that once took scientists days, such as manually identifying species from hundreds of images, can now be completed in minutes. That time saved goes straight back into deeper research and better understanding the health of our ecosystems.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Tasks that once took scientists days, such as manually identifying species from hundreds of images, can now be completed in minutes. That time saved goes straight back into deeper research and better understanding the health of our ecosystems.
ARISE brings together data from smart cameras, acoustic sensors, radar technologies, and DNA barcoding, all supported by a powerful AI platform. This integrated approach is already transforming ecological research.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
ARISE brings together data from smart cameras, acoustic sensors, radar technologies, and DNA barcoding, all supported by a powerful AI platform. This integrated approach is already transforming ecological research.
At the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, we are especially proud to contribute our expertise on fungal diversity, a group for which only 44% of known species have been barcoded so far, leaving much exciting work ahead.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
At the Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute, we are especially proud to contribute our expertise on fungal diversity, a group for which only 44% of known species have been barcoded so far, leaving much exciting work ahead.
We have worked collectively to build an unprecedented DNA reference library for the estimated 49,000 plant, animal, and fungal species in our country.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
We have worked collectively to build an unprecedented DNA reference library for the estimated 49,000 plant, animal, and fungal species in our country.
Together with our partners Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the University of Amsterdam, and the University of Twente, we celebrated the official launch of ARISE Biodiversity, which is a groundbreaking national research infrastructure designed to identify all multicellular species in the Netherlands.
November 13, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Together with our partners Naturalis Biodiversity Center, the University of Amsterdam, and the University of Twente, we celebrated the official launch of ARISE Biodiversity, which is a groundbreaking national research infrastructure designed to identify all multicellular species in the Netherlands.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬
Xiao, X.E.; Cheng, M.J. ; Zheng, F. ; Ao, Y.J. ; Deng, J.R. ; Crous, P.W. ; Jiao, C.; Li, H.Y.;
Xiao, X.E.; Cheng, M.J. ; Zheng, F. ; Ao, Y.J. ; Deng, J.R. ; Crous, P.W. ; Jiao, C.; Li, H.Y.;
November 11, 2025 at 1:02 PM
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬
Xiao, X.E.; Cheng, M.J. ; Zheng, F. ; Ao, Y.J. ; Deng, J.R. ; Crous, P.W. ; Jiao, C.; Li, H.Y.;
Xiao, X.E.; Cheng, M.J. ; Zheng, F. ; Ao, Y.J. ; Deng, J.R. ; Crous, P.W. ; Jiao, C.; Li, H.Y.;