Associates
The SPUN Science Associates are an international group of mycorrhizal and soil scientists and local experts who are unearthing the mysteries of underground ecosystems.
Looking for an internship or research collaborator in your region? Need some expertise about a specific biome? Are you a journalist looking for a scientist to talk to about mycorrhizal networks? Discover our global network of 300+ science associates from more than 30 countries here.
To join our network, fill out the application here:
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Dr. Touseef Hussain

Dr. Touseef Hussain
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Molecular detection, Characterization of Plant Pathogens, Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria, biocontrol agents (Bacteria, Fungi), Biosynthesis of microbial metabolites
specializations
biomes
Dr. Urooj Zafar
Dr. Urooj Zafar
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Fungal ecology and composting
specializations
biomes
Dr. Valeria Faggioli
Dr. Valeria Faggioli
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in agroecosystems and natural lands
specializations
biomes
Dr. Valeria Verrone
Dr. Valeria Verrone
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Microbial activities involved in the degradation of tropical peatland ecosystems and identification of targeted solutions that can be incorporated into current restoration practices.
specializations
biomes
Dr. Vasilis Kokkoris
Dr. Vasilis Kokkoris
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Nuclear dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizae & its evolutionary significance with applications in sustainable agriculture & climate change research.
specializations
biomes
Dr. Vincent Merckx
Dr. Vincent Merckx
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Mycorrhizal networks and their importance for plant health and survival.
specializations
biomes
Dr. William Rivera Méndez
Dr. William Rivera Méndez
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Microbial commmunities in soil, biological control of pest and diseases in tropical agroecosystems. Biological imputs for agriculture
specializations
biomes

Dr. Władysław Polcyn

Dr. Władysław Polcyn
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Associate professor ofplant physiology, exploring arbuscular mycorrhiza effect on crop plants drought tolerance and PIP aquaporins expression, working with a wide variety of stress diagnosis tools, including some 'omics' methods. Recently involved as a mentor in student bioinformaticians projects exploring soil fungal communities in agricultural and forest habitats.
specializations
biomes
Dr. Yamuna S
Dr. Yamuna S
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Biodiversity conservation
specializations
biomes

Dr. Íris Marisa Maxaieie Victorino

Dr. Íris Marisa Maxaieie Victorino
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Lecturer. Molecular Biology and soil metagenomic analysis specialist
specializations
biomes
Dushyant Dudhagara
Dushyant Dudhagara
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Working in the field of the marine and terrestrial fungus
specializations
biomes

EC Cline

EC Cline
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Ectomycorrhizal ecology of Pacific Northwest conifer forests.
specializations
biomes

Eduardo Pérez-Pazos

Eduardo Pérez-Pazos
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Elena Leander

Elena Leander
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Emanuel Ontivero
Emanuel Ontivero
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Emeliane KILADZE

Emeliane KILADZE
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I am a PhD student studying the influence of ericoid mycorrhizal fungi on blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) plant growth and production through field, glasshouse, and laboratory experiments.
specializations
biomes
Emily Brooks
Emily Brooks
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Emily McIntyre

Emily McIntyre
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Eric Pereira
Eric Pereira
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Currently, my research explores mycorrhizal associations in orchids.
specializations
biomes
Etienne Issa
Etienne Issa
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
The interdisciplinary project explores the valorization of building waste streams using fungal microorganisms as an organic binder for circular and regenerative biomaterials. The applied research is grounded in a low-tech vernacular methodology for exploring architectural typologies through load bearing prototypes informed by variable ways of casting, growing and drying mycelium composites.
specializations
biomes

Evelin Yulisa Reyes Méndez

Evelin Yulisa Reyes Méndez
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My research investigates the effects of urbanization and changes in warming on soil fungal communities, unraveling the intricate ecological dynamics and understanding the consequences of these dual forces on soil microbial diversity and function.
specializations
biomes

Ezekiel Mugendi Njeru

Ezekiel Mugendi Njeru
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Farah Shafiq

Farah Shafiq
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Fay Voller

Fay Voller
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Felipe Gainza

Felipe Gainza
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Felix Zimmermann

Felix Zimmermann
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Fionnuala Bulman
Fionnuala Bulman
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Sampling and characterisation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal communities from native and agricultural ecosystems in New Zealand. Use of greenhouse experiments to investigate the link between these sampled communities and resilience in plant-soil ecosystems.
specializations
biomes
Francis Brearley
Francis Brearley
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Fruzsina Eva Felegyhazi
Fruzsina Eva Felegyhazi
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Gabriel Grilli
Gabriel Grilli
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Gabriel Orrego Astorga
Gabriel Orrego Astorga
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Gabriel Orrego, forest engineer with a master's degree in forest ecology. Collaborator of the Fungi Foundation and scientific director of the Festival Reino Fungi. Co-founder of Symbiotica, dedicated to socioecological restoration and environmental education.
specializations
biomes

Geoffrey Kwenda

Geoffrey Kwenda
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My main research interests revolve around infectious diseases, and I employ a variety of techniques such as evolutionary genomics, molecular taxonomy, field ecology, bioinformatics, and experimentation to investigate the clinical and environmental factors driving these diseases.
specializations
biomes

Gordon Walker

Gordon Walker
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I reach and teach over 2.5 million followers about the fantastic variety of mushrooms and fungi via my FascinatedByFungi accounts on social media. My academic research focused on the microbial ecology of wine fermentations and process control.
specializations
biomes

Grace Gachara

Grace Gachara
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Guido Nicolaus Poliwoda
Guido Nicolaus Poliwoda
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Guillermo Bueno

Guillermo Bueno
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Hafiz Athar Hussain

Hafiz Athar Hussain
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Haiyang Zhang

Haiyang Zhang
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Hari Sharan Adhikari

Hari Sharan Adhikari
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Hazel Marsden
Hazel Marsden
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Helbert Lim

Helbert Lim
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My name is Helbert, a researcher from Research Center for Ecology and Ethnobiology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia. My work focuses on ectomycorrhizal fungal communities in Indonesian tropical forests, especially on their biodiversity and ecology. My goal is to map ectomycorrhizal fungi distribution in Indonesian forests.
specializations
biomes
Hilario Espinosa
Hilario Espinosa
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I focus my research on fungi diversity and the plant-fungi interactions in the Tropical Forest.
specializations
biomes

Hugo Mauricio Ortega Andrade

Hugo Mauricio Ortega Andrade
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Ian R. Mounts

Ian R. Mounts
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Ian’s research investigates the role mutualistic symbionts have in maintaining the functionality of ecological networks, and the ecophysiology of network members, under extreme and changing conditions. He investigates these topics through the experimental manipulation of common mycorrhizal networks in field conditions, through meta-analyses, and modeling and simulation.
specializations
biomes
Ido Rog
Ido Rog
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Iker Yturralde

Iker Yturralde
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Ilyor Mustafaev

Ilyor Mustafaev
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My lab research focuses on fungal taxonomy and ecology, mycorrhiza studies, mushroom cultivation. It focusses on the challenge of how to describe, document, understand and protect all fungal biodiversity and cultivate medicinal mushrooms. Also, aims to understand how climate change drivers influence plant-fungi interactions and plant structure.
specializations
biomes

Inviolata Lusweti

Inviolata Lusweti
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
J. Alexander Siggers
J. Alexander Siggers
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I study the temporal interactions between grasslands plant and their associated microbial communities under drought conditions.
specializations
biomes

Jadson Belem de Moura

Jadson Belem de Moura
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
James Weedon
James Weedon
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Does microbial diversity helps us understand processes in soil carbon and nitrogen cycles? What are the best quantiative and analytical methods to answer this question?
specializations
biomes

Jan Jansa

Jan Jansa
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Interested in interactions of mycorrhizal fungi with other soil microorganisms
specializations
biomes

Janey Lienau

Janey Lienau
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Jazmin Salazar

Jazmin Salazar
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Jean Evans Israël CODJIA

Jean Evans Israël CODJIA
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Jed Soleiman
Jed Soleiman
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Looking at nature recovery through the lens of mycorrhiza, and their responses to regenerative agriculture and Rewilding.
specializations
biomes
Jeffery Stallman
Jeffery Stallman
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I work on the taxonomy, systematics, and biogeography of macrofungi, and conservation biology more broadly.
specializations
biomes

Jenny Vivian

Jenny Vivian
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Jessica Murray
Jessica Murray
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Climate change effects on soil carbon cycling in tropical soils.
specializations
biomes

Joana Castro

Joana Castro
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

John Yangyuoru Kupagme

John Yangyuoru Kupagme
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Jonathan Cazabonne

Jonathan Cazabonne
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Jonathan Henn
Jonathan Henn
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Jordon Tourville

Jordon Tourville
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Joske Ruytinx
Joske Ruytinx
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Juan F. Dueñas

Juan F. Dueñas
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I am interested in studying the impact of global change factors on soil biodiversity, and how this relates to ecosystem functions and stability. I am particularly interested in fungal communities and their role in soils, as well as the interaction of plant and fungal communities. I mainly use high throughput sequencing in combination with field or greenhouse experiments to characterize fungal community responses to different global change factors.
specializations
biomes

Juliana Silva Rodrigues Cabral

Juliana Silva Rodrigues Cabral
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Justin D Stewart
Justin D Stewart
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Identifying key players and patterns in networks of microorganisms with an emphasis on plants, soil, and mapping.
specializations
biomes

Kamlesh Kumar Meena

Kamlesh Kumar Meena
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Katherine R. Mohatt
Katherine R. Mohatt
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I collaborate with several PNW fungal taxonomic specialists to identify and document species and their distributions at the northern limit of the Pacific Coastal Rainforest and transition zone into Boreal forests.
specializations
biomes

Kenkwo Promise

Kenkwo Promise
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Kennedy Masamba

Kennedy Masamba
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Kennedy Ododa

Kennedy Ododa
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Khalid Hafazallah

Khalid Hafazallah
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Kian Jenab
Kian Jenab
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Klara Scharnagl

Klara Scharnagl
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Kristin Aleklett Kadish

Kristin Aleklett Kadish
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Microbial ecologist notoriously curious about the life of fungi. I currently work with microfluidic systems to study behaviors and interactions of filamentous fungi.
specializations
biomes

Kristin Saltonstall

Kristin Saltonstall
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Laura Aldrich-Wolfe

Laura Aldrich-Wolfe
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Laura Cecilia De Luca

Laura Cecilia De Luca
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Laura Van Galen

Laura Van Galen
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Laura Yahdjian

Laura Yahdjian
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Lilian Moforcha Zemenjuh

Lilian Moforcha Zemenjuh
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Lindsay Holsen

Lindsay Holsen
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Lisa O'Donnell
Lisa O'Donnell
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
We manage and monitor the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve for endangered and rare species, including Golden-cheeked Warbler, Black-capped Vireo, karst invertebrates, and rare plants.
specializations
biomes

Liteboho Maduna

Liteboho Maduna
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
I am studying the biodiversity of mycorrhizal fungal communities associated associated with ecosystems in Lesotho
specializations
biomes

Liz Koziol

Liz Koziol
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Lorinda Bullington

Lorinda Bullington
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Louis Berrios

Louis Berrios
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My work focuses on tripartite interactions among bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and plants. In particular, I investigate positive interactions among these organisms.
specializations
biomes
Louisa Robinson Boyer
Louisa Robinson Boyer
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Lucas C. Wheeler
Lucas C. Wheeler
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My work focuses on the evolutionary genetics and biochemistry of floral trait evolution and adaptation. I seek to link the molecular mechanisms underlying phenotypic evolution in plants to ecological functions including mutualistic interactions with other organisms.
specializations
biomes
Lucía Ana Díaz Ariza
Lucía Ana Díaz Ariza
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Luis Alberto Lara Pérez

Luis Alberto Lara Pérez
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Diversity and ecology of Glomeromycota in natural systems, agroecosystems, and forest systems through taxonomy and molecular systematics. Additionally, I am interested in analyzing the role of soil microbiota in plant growth and development, and how it influences the fitness of insects (Lepidoptera).
specializations
biomes
Luis Berrios-Hayden
Luis Berrios-Hayden
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
MSc Student. Spatial distribution of AM fungal diversity and metal concentrations as a function of urban structure in Philadelphia, PA.
specializations
biomes
Luis Daniel Prada Salcedo
Luis Daniel Prada Salcedo
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Microbial molecular ecology
specializations
biomes

Luke Florence

Luke Florence
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Lukelysia Nyawira
Lukelysia Nyawira
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
My work involves studying and working with soil biodiversity in various degraded sites, such as rangelands, forests, and grasslands. My primary focus is on understanding how to restore and sustain these ecosystems through biological interventions.My research and activities explore the intricate relationships between living organisms in the soil, including microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, plants, and invertebrates.
specializations
biomes
MARÍA ADELINA MOREL REVETRIA
MARÍA ADELINA MOREL REVETRIA
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
Our research focuses on beneficial plant-microbe interactions and soil microorganisms'' roles in disturbed ecosystems
specializations
biomes

Maan Bahadur Rokaya

Maan Bahadur Rokaya
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes
Mahmoud Gargouri
Mahmoud Gargouri
Affiliation
Location
Research Description
specializations
biomes

Iker Yturralde
University of Hawaii at Manoa

Hugo Mauricio Ortega Andrade
Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam
Rachel Gallery
University of Arizona

Roisin Moore
Rhizocore Technologies

Raklami Anas
Cadi Ayyad University, Faculty of Science Semlalia, Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology, Agrosciences, and Environment (BioMAgE), Labeled Research Unit-CNRST N°4
Basiru Sulaimon
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University

Prof. Jesus Perez-Moreno
Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Montecillo

Jadson Belem de Moura
Evangelical College of Goianesia

Luis Alberto Lara Pérez
Tecnologico Nacional de México campus Instituto Tecnológico de la Zona Maya

Maria Victoria Vignale
Universidad Nacional de Misiones - InBioMis e Instituto Misionero de Biodiversidad

Claudia Bashian-Victoroff
Holden Forests and Gardens

Nicholas Medina
Morton Arboretum

BADOU Akotchayé Sylvestre
Laboratory of "Tropical Mycology and Plants-Soil Fungi Interactions" ( MyTIPS)
Antonio Marcos Miranda Silva
University of Southern Denmark

María del Rosario Lonardi
Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires
Sarah Symanczik
Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL)

Vatsala Koul
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, India

Kennedy Ododa
Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Sarkal Jyakhwa
University of Tartu

OLATUNDE Oluwaseun J. A.
Horticultural Research Institute

Dr. Samina Sarwar
Botany Department, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

Liz Koziol
University of Kansas

Alan Wanke
Sainsbury Laboratory, University of Cambridge

Martin Hassan Polo Marcial
Tecnológico Nacional de México campus Instituto Tecnológico de la Zona Maya

Marcelo Betancur Agudelo
Universidad de Caldas
Ana Vanessa Aguilar Paredes
Crop Science Research Center, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna

Jordon Tourville
Appalachian Mountain Club

Catalina Alicia Guerra León
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Cristiane Figueiredo
Federal University of Lavras and Westerdijk fungal biodiversity

Mohamed Hijri
University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P)

Sujai Kumar
SPUN | Society for the Protection of Underground Networks
Solomon Maerowitz-McMahan
Western Sydney University- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

Kenkwo Promise
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Nigeria.

Felix Zimmermann
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

Jean Evans Israël CODJIA
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Dr. Nandkumar M. Kamat
Goa University

Tijana Martinović
Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czechia; Slovenian Forestry Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Sarah Cuprewich
Dartmouth College

Anna Hopkins
Edith Cowan University
McKenzie Stock
New Mexico State University

Dr. Hanna Artuti Ekamawanti
Universitas Tanjungpura (Tanjungpura University)

Jazmin Salazar
Catholic University of Cuenca

Ayooluwa Adebanke Olubode
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Ogun State

Laura Yahdjian
University of Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomia. IFEVA-CONICET

Aynalem Gochera Sade
KU Leuven