The Fungal World Wide Web
Presented by: Arvind Gopinath, Assistant Professor, Bioengineering, University of California, Merced
Hidden in the ground beneath us is an information superhighway made up of diverse biological cell populations that allow individuals who may be widely separated to communicate and help each other out. This biological World Wide Web is made up of fungi. Fungal bodies are made up of a mass of thin threads, known as a mycelium that link cells to the roots of plants as far as many meters away. We will look at these fascinating networks that aren't just sitting around; rather they are actively involved in biological, physical, and chemical processes and signaling including the sharing of nutrients and information.
Arvind Gopinath is a Professor of Bioengineering at the University of California, Merced. His lab currently studies how microbes such as bacteria and fungi grow and interact with their environment, and how these modes of interaction manifest in their biophysical and biomechanics properties.
August 24-26/ These sessions occur over 3 days
4:00 PM- 5:00 PM PT
Target Audience: K-12 Students, Teachers, Community Members
