CABI's fungal collection will be screened by the University of Strathclyde for potential lead compounds against MRSA, cancers and other diseases.

CABI houses one of the world's largest genetic resource collections of fungi, numbered at over 28,000 strains, including Fleming's original penicillin producing isolate. They will be supplying the University of Strathclyde's Institute for Drug Research (SIDR) with extracts from filamentous fungi which will be screened to identify pharmaceutically active compounds, which could potentially be developed into drugs.

In the last five years, more than 20 new drugs were released onto the market originating from natural sources. Drugs such as immunosuppresants and antibiotics have been previously sourced from fungi. More details from the CABU press release.

Photo: Aspergillus flavus,- a species of fungus found in CABI's collection. Credit: CABI