Researchers over the years have focused on the study of fungal biology, aiming to decode several eukaryotic processes, such as energy metabolism, cell cycle, gene expression, proteastasis, mitochondrial function, response to a multitude of stress conditions, secretory pathways and intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms. In this context, while some species have been strongly explored for biotechnological purposes by the industrial, health and food industries, many others are neglected, either because of small biotechnological relevance or the ability to cause infections in low-income populations from low Human Development Index (HDI) countries.
Fungal disease incidence and mortality are rapidly growing worldwide and have become a great problem for public health. Currently, the emergence and re-emergence of infection are common with several fungi species such as Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. auris, C. tropicalis and C. krusei, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Scedosporium apiospermum and S. aurantiacum, Lomentospora prolificans, Histoplasma capsulatum and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.
Thus, in this scenario, it is imperative that the development of public health policies circumvent the emergence of primary or opportunistic fungal infections. However, in order to establish the proper public policies to combat fungal diseases, it requires a strong investment in the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic alternatives, as well as the implementation of compulsory notification to reverse the informational negligence on the part of both society and health professionals.
Therefore, in our proposal, we will invite interested experts to share their most significant developments in the field and to contribute high quality original research and review articles that will explore the relationship between fungal biology and infections.
We will be seeking for articles focusing on fungi biology that explores:
i) gene and signalling pathways related to infection;
ii) detection and determination of established or new virulence factors associated with infection diseases;
iii) current concepts in the treatment of the fungal diseases;
iv) new insights into alternative bioactive molecules for therapeutically application;
v) advances in molecular genetics
vi) molecular diagnostics associated with fungal infections and diseases.
Potential topics may include, but are not limited to:
• Recent findings about the energy metabolism of pathogenic fungi and potential targets for therapy;
• Recent findings about fungal biology (e.g. molecules and cellular structures) related to infection and their mechanism of resistance;
• Understanding of signalling pathways related to the changes in gene expression of infection and/or resistance factors crucial for fungal pathogenesis;
• New potential alternatives for therapy of fungal disease;
• New biological models for studies on fungal infection;
• Recent advances in redox regulation of gene expression related to pathogenesis.
Researchers over the years have focused on the study of fungal biology, aiming to decode several eukaryotic processes, such as energy metabolism, cell cycle, gene expression, proteastasis, mitochondrial function, response to a multitude of stress conditions, secretory pathways and intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms. In this context, while some species have been strongly explored for biotechnological purposes by the industrial, health and food industries, many others are neglected, either because of small biotechnological relevance or the ability to cause infections in low-income populations from low Human Development Index (HDI) countries.
Fungal disease incidence and mortality are rapidly growing worldwide and have become a great problem for public health. Currently, the emergence and re-emergence of infection are common with several fungi species such as Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. auris, C. tropicalis and C. krusei, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Scedosporium apiospermum and S. aurantiacum, Lomentospora prolificans, Histoplasma capsulatum and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.
Thus, in this scenario, it is imperative that the development of public health policies circumvent the emergence of primary or opportunistic fungal infections. However, in order to establish the proper public policies to combat fungal diseases, it requires a strong investment in the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic alternatives, as well as the implementation of compulsory notification to reverse the informational negligence on the part of both society and health professionals.
Therefore, in our proposal, we will invite interested experts to share their most significant developments in the field and to contribute high quality original research and review articles that will explore the relationship between fungal biology and infections.
We will be seeking for articles focusing on fungi biology that explores:
i) gene and signalling pathways related to infection;
ii) detection and determination of established or new virulence factors associated with infection diseases;
iii) current concepts in the treatment of the fungal diseases;
iv) new insights into alternative bioactive molecules for therapeutically application;
v) advances in molecular genetics
vi) molecular diagnostics associated with fungal infections and diseases.
Potential topics may include, but are not limited to:
• Recent findings about the energy metabolism of pathogenic fungi and potential targets for therapy;
• Recent findings about fungal biology (e.g. molecules and cellular structures) related to infection and their mechanism of resistance;
• Understanding of signalling pathways related to the changes in gene expression of infection and/or resistance factors crucial for fungal pathogenesis;
• New potential alternatives for therapy of fungal disease;
• New biological models for studies on fungal infection;
• Recent advances in redox regulation of gene expression related to pathogenesis.
