With an estimated 1.5 million species, fungi represent one of the largest branches of modern biology’s phylogenetic tree or “Tree of Life.”  They have an enormous impact on human affairs and ecosystem functioning due to their diverse activities as decomposers and pathogens, as well as the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationships they share with other organisms.  In order to better understand the diversity of fungi and their functions, researchers at the UMKC Fungal Genetics Stock Center (FGSC), have been selected to join an international team of scientists in a five-year project to sequence 1,000 fungal genomes from the Fungal Tree of Life.  Click here to read the full UMKC news release.

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Posted in Research School of Biological Sciences by johnaustin Comments Off on UMKC Fungal Genetics Stock Center selected to participate in ‘1000 Genomes’ project