IUBMB Focused Meeting on Extremophilic fungi
19 – 22 September, 2023

Extreme environments are hostile to most life as we know it. Only a small selection of species have adapted to survive and thrive in some of the most extreme conditions on our planet. Research on extremophiles has traditionally been focused on prokaryotes, but this focus has been repeatedly challenged by the discovery of various fungi as part of the extreme microbiome. Despite their much more complex cell structure, fungi approach, and in some cases exceed, the stress tolerance of bacteria and archaea.
The study of fungi from various extreme environments, from arid and hypersaline to cold and acidic, attracts a vibrant and ever-growing scientific community. Although the topic is receiving increasing attention at some of the most prestigious international meetings, a dedicated international conference has been lacking.
The first international conference on extremophilic fungi will bring together world-renowned experts, young scientists, and students who explore the diversity, adaptations, and potential applications of extremophilic fungi, and help usher in the next era of extreme mycology.

01 Schedule

19 September —
Tuesday

9:00 – 9:30

Opening of the Conference

9:30 – 10:15

Plenary lecture

10:15 – 11:00
Rock-Inhabiting Fungi
11:00 – 11:30
Coffee break
11:30 – 13:00
Rock-Inhabiting Fungi
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch and poster viewing
14:30 – 16:00
Fungi from Polar and Alpine Environments
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee break
16:30 – 18:00
Fungi and Astrobiology
18:00
Welcome party

20 September —
Wednesday

9:00 – 10:30
Halophilic and Osmophilic Fungi
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00

Deep Sea, Radiation, And Other Extreme Environments

13:00 – 14:30
Lunch and poster viewing
14:30 – 16:00
Acidophilic Fungi
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee break
16:30 – 18:00
Poster Presentation Flash Talks
18:00
Optional social gathering

21 September —
Thursday

Morning
Scientific Excursion to Carstic Caves
Afternoon
Workshop: Sampling Hypersaline Environments in Man-Made Solar Salterns

22 September —
Friday

9:00 – 10:30
Fungi of Extreme Indoor Environments
10:30 – 11:00
Coffee break
11:00 – 13:00
Biotechnology and Bioremediation
13:00 – 14:30
Lunch and poster viewing
14:30 – 16:00
Biotechnology and Bioremediation
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee break
16:30 – 17:45
Plenary Lecture and Closing
19:30
Conference Dinner

Join us at IUBMB Focused Meeting on Extremophilic fungi