Mycology Guidebook

Fungi have their own unique cell biology and life cycle, but also play critical roles in wider biological systems. This textbook provides a comprehensive view of fungal biology, ranging in scope from the evolutionary origins of fungi and other eukaryotes more than a billion years ago, to the impact fungi have on everyday life. Bringing mycology teaching right up to date, this unique systems biology approach emphasises the interactions between fungi and other organisms to illustrate the critical roles that fungi play in every ecosystem and food web. With more than 60 colour figures, examples of computational modelling and resource boxes directing students to areas of interest online, this book gives students an appreciation of fungi both at the organism level and in the context of wider biology. A companion CD accompanying the print book features a hyperlinked version of the book and the fully integrated World of Cyberfungi website.

Uniquely modern textbook providing a broad, all-round understanding of fungal biology and the biological systems to which fungi contribute.

Laboratory Handbook of Medical Mycology summarizes the concepts dealing with the laboratory aspects of medical mycology. The publication first offers information on basic terminology and classification, laboratory safety, and clinical specimens. Discussions focus on tissue, abscess, blood, bone marrow, and urine specimens, biological hazards, disinfection and sterilization, grounding of electrical equipment, waste disposal, asexual and sexual reproduction, and vegetative growth. The text then takes a look at mold and yeast identification, including fermentation, temperature studies, asci and ascospores, zygomycetes, cycloheximide resistance, and sporulation and sterile isolates. The manuscript ponders on susceptibility testing and bioassay procedures, culture collection, and quality control. Topics include proficiency evaluations, media and equipment control, depositing unusual isolates in major culture collections, reconstituting lyophilized cultures, bioassay to determine drug levels in body fluids, and in vitro susceptibility testing. The publication is a dependable source of data for laboratory technologists, microbiologists, and mycologists engaged in safely isolating and accurately identifying fungi of medical importance.