Skip to content
CIFAR header logo
fr
menu_mobile_logo_alt
  • Our Impact
    • Why CIFAR?
    • Impact Clusters
    • News
    • CIFAR Strategy
    • Nurturing a Resilient Earth
    • AI Impact
    • Donor Impact
    • CIFAR 40
  • Events
    • Public Events
    • Invitation-only Meetings
  • Programs
    • Research Programs
    • Pan-Canadian AI Strategy
    • Next Generation Initiatives
  • People
    • Fellows & Advisors
    • CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars
    • Canada CIFAR AI Chairs
    • AI Strategy Leadership
    • Solution Network Members
    • Leadership
    • Staff Directory
  • Support Us
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Awards
    • Partnerships
    • Publications & Reports
    • Careers
    • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
    • Statement on Institutional Neutrality
    • Research Security
  • fr

Follow Us

  • Home
  • research-programs
  • Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities

smaller line

What might we uncover in an unknown biosphere?

As both antibiotic producers and deadly pathogens, necessary members of ecosystems and invasive species, understanding the complexity of the Fungal Kingdom demands a multidisciplinary approach. CIFAR’s team includes diverse experts who interrogate the unique facets of fungal biology to mitigate the threats posed by fungi and harness their extraordinary potential.


IMPACT CLUSTERS

The Fungal Kingdom program is part of the following CIFAR Impact Clusters: Nurturing a Resilient Earth and Shaping the Future of Human Health. CIFAR’s research programs are organized into 5 distinct Impact Clusters that address significant global issues and are committed to fostering an environment in which breakthroughs emerge.


RESEARCH AND SOCIETAL IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

The need for antifungals
CIFAR Fellow Charles Boone (University of Toronto), Co-Director Leah Cowen (University of Toronto), Fellow Christina Cuomo (Broad Institute), Co-Director Joseph Heitman (Duke University), and Fellow Gerard Wright (McMaster University) identified new molecules that kill fungal pathogens or reduce resistance to existing antifungal treatments by screening diverse chemical libraries, including natural products and derivatives. The next steps in this work are to catalyze the discovery of novel antifungals, targets and resistance mechanisms.

Unlocking a vaccine for white nose syndrome
CIFAR Fellows David Blehert (United States Geological Survey), Bruce S. Klein (University of Wisconsin, Madison) and Don Sheppard (McGill University) made a major discovery related to a pathogenic fungus called Pseudogymnoascus destructans, better known as the White Nose Syndrome. This Syndrome has killed millions of ecologically vital bats across North America, with 90-100% mortality rates at some sites. The research team discovered how the fungus initiates the infection via skin, leading to new prevention strategies, including a new vaccine which is already showing promise. If successful, these studies would have a beneficial impact on ecosystems, biodiversity as well as animal and human health.

one health publication cover

This new report, One Health: Fungal Pathogens of Humans, Animals, and Plants, highlights the remarkable advances in the field and provides updated recommendations to address scientific and public health challenges today.

Program member authors: Arturo Casadevall, John W. Taylor, Joseph Heitman, and Leah Cowen

Founded

2019

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Molecular genetics
Microbiology
Epidemiology
Bioinformatics
Public Health
Biochemistry

CIFAR Contact

Daniel Bacinello

Fellows & Advisors

Program Directors

Leah E. Cowen

Leah E. Cowen

Program Co-Director

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Toronto
Canada
Joseph Heitman

Joseph Heitman

Program Co-Director

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Duke University
United States

Fellows

Colin Averill

Colin Averill

Associate Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
David S. Blehert

David S. Blehert

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
National Wildlife Health Center
U.S. Geological Survey
United States
Charles M. Boone

Charles M. Boone

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Genetic Networks
University of Toronto
Canada
Anuradha Chowdhary

Anuradha Chowdhary

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Delhi India
Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute
India
Christina A. Cuomo

Christina A. Cuomo

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Broad Institute
United States
Cameron Currie

Cameron Currie

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Wisconsin-Madison
United States
Matthew C. Fisher

Matthew C. Fisher

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Imperial College London
United Kingdom
Lillian Fritz-Laylin

Lillian Fritz-Laylin

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Massachusetts Amherst
United States
Iliyan D. Iliev

Iliyan D. Iliev

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Cornell University
United States
Tim James

Tim James

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Michigan
United States
Hailing Jin

Hailing Jin

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of California Riverside
United States
Bruce Klein

Bruce Klein

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Wisconsin-Madison
United States
Ksenia Krasileva

Ksenia Krasileva

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of California Berkeley
United States
James Kronstad

James Kronstad

Power Corporation Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of British Columbia
Canada
Kabir Gabriel Peay

Kabir Gabriel Peay

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Stanford University
United States
Julie Segre

Julie Segre

Associate Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
National Human Genome Research Institute
United States
Don Sheppard

Don Sheppard

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
McGill University
Canada
Jason E. Stajich

Jason E. Stajich

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of California Riverside
United States
Eva H. Stukenbrock

Eva H. Stukenbrock

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology
Germany
Gerard Wright

Gerard Wright

Fellow

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
McMaster University
Canada

Advisors

Arturo Casadevall

Arturo Casadevall

Advisor

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Johns Hopkins University
United States
David Denning

David Denning

Advisor

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Manchester
United Kingdom
Neil Gow

Neil Gow

Advisor

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Exeter
United Kingdom
Sarah Jane Gurr

Sarah Jane Gurr

Advisory Committee Chair

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Exeter
United Kingdom
Maria J. Harrison

Maria J. Harrison

Advisor

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Boyce Thompson Institute
United States
Regine Kahmann

Regine Kahmann

Advisor

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology
Germany
John Taylor

John Taylor

Advisor

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of California Berkeley
United States

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

Artem Babaian

Artem Babaian

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2025-2027

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Toronto
Canada
Amelia Barber

Amelia Barber

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2025-2027

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Germany
Iuliana V. Ene

Iuliana V. Ene

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Institut Pasteur
France
Aleeza Gerstein

Aleeza Gerstein

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Manitoba
Canada
Asiya Gusa

Asiya Gusa

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2023-2025

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Duke University
United States
Vayu Hill-Maini

Vayu Hill-Maini

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2025-2027

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
Stanford University
United States
Kyla Ost

Kyla Ost

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2023-2025

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Colorado
United States
Rebecca Shapiro

Rebecca Shapiro

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2021-2023

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
University of Guelph
Canada
Neta Shlezinger

Neta Shlezinger

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar 2023-2025

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Israel

Related News

Reach-Leah

Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities

Do fungi pose a threat to our brains?

A Q&A with Leah Cowen, program Co-Director of CIFAR’s Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities, on the realitie...

June 13, 2024
GS-web-banner3

Announcement

Newest CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars take on high-risk, high-reward pursuits

16 distinguished early-career researchers join the prestigious CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars program

May 23, 2023
photo James Kronstad

Announcement

James Kronstad named Power Corporation Fellow

We are pleased to announce CIFAR Fellow James Kronstad’s appointment as the Power Corporation Fellow.

May 15, 2023
Fungal Kingdom Illustration

Brief

The Future of Fungi: Threats and Opportunities

CIFAR and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund held a workshop to help chart the future challenges and opportunities presented by...

October 19, 2022
HEALTH-RGB-300-ORANGE

Brief

Accelerating Progress in Fungal Diagnostics

Accelerating progress in diagnostics to mitigate the rising health threat posed by fungal infections

October 20, 2021
Fungal Kingdom Illustration

Advances

The secret wars of plants and fungi

CIFAR fellow Hailing Jin has uncovered the details of a chilling plot to silence opposition and subvert resistance in th...

November 05, 2019
Fungal Kingdom Illustration

Advances

Tackling a global “superbug”

Dangerous and drug resistant, C. auris thrives almost everywhere

April 30, 2019
  • Follow Us

Support Us

The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) is a globally influential research organization proudly based in Canada. We mobilize the world’s most brilliant people across disciplines and at all career stages to advance transformative knowledge and solve humanity’s biggest problems, together. We are supported by the governments of Canada, Alberta and Québec, as well as Canadian and international foundations, individuals, corporations and partner organizations.

Donate Now
CIFAR footer logo

MaRS Centre, West Tower
661 University Ave., Suite 505
Toronto, ON M5G 1M1 Canada

Contact Us
Media
Careers
Accessibility Policies
Supporters
Financial Reports
Subscribe

  • © Copyright 2025 CIFAR. All Rights Reserved.
  • Charitable Registration Number: 11921 9251 RR0001
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap

Subscribe

Stay up to date on news & ideas from CIFAR.

Fields marked with an * are required

Je préfère m’inscrire en français (cliquez ici).


Subscribe to our CIFAR newsletters: *

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. View our privacy policy.


As a subscriber you will also receive a digital copy of REACH, our annual magazine which highlights our researchers and their breakthroughs with long-form features, interviews and illustrations.


Please provide additional information if you would like to receive a print edition of REACH.


This website stores cookies on your computer. These cookies are used to collect information about how you interact with our website and allow us to remember you. We use this information in order to improve and customize your browsing experience and for analytics and metrics about our visitors both on this website and other media. To find out more about the cookies we use, see our Privacy Policy.
Accept Learn more

Notifications