Genetic recipe book for natural products from fungi
Read about Radio New Zealand's coverage of the fungal factories project
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Researchers at Victoria University of Wellington, led by chemical biologist Emily Parker, are exploring how fungi produce natural medicinal compounds.
The team aims to create a "genetic recipe book" by identifying the genes responsible for these bioactive chemicals. Their work focuses on indole diterpenes, compounds with anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties.
PhD students Rose McLellan and Rudy Bundela are investigating how to produce these compounds on a larger scale, which could lead to new pharmaceuticals.