From the Publisher:             

     During the past decade we have witnessed a mushrooming of papers in the area of medical mycology; detailing major advances in areas such as genomics, molecular and cellular biology, molecular epidemiology, immune response and vaccine development, and strategies to combat infections in humans. This sheer volume of information makes it extremely difficult for the busy research scientist and/or teacher of medical mycology to keep abreast of all the latest advances. This book, together with its companion volume "Pathogenic Fungi: Host Interactions and Emerging Strategies for Control", brings together expert international authors who critically review current topics, and through the provision of extensive reference sections positively encourage readers to pursue the subject in greater detail.

     The book is divided into two sections: "Fungal Dimorphism and Pathogenicity" and "New Taxonomic Tools". The first section focuses on morphogenesis, the cell cycle, and the cell wall of human pathogens. These play a major role in elucidating fungal relationships, both with the environment and with the host. Experts in fungal structural biology contribute in-depth reviews on a variety of topics with a focus on molecular and biochemical analysis. The final chapter in this section presents a fascinating review of how mathematical modelling can be used to understand the building of three-dimensional cell structures in the morphogenetic process. The second section, entitled "New Taxonomic Tools", presents novel approaches to aid the understanding of strain variability, the significance of environmental and patient strains, and the relatedness of "uncultured" fungi. In addition the use of molecular tools for the taxonomic classification of previously unclassifiable fungi is featured.

     Essential reading for everyone with an interest in medical mycology including: mycologists, biotechnologists, molecular biologists, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

Key Features:

• Detailed Discussions of Cutting Edge Topics
• Expert International Authors
• Fully Up-To-Date
• Broad Coverage
• Comprehensive Reference Section
• Useful Index

Table of Contents:

Section I.  Fungal Dimorphism and Pathogenicity

Chapter 1.    Structure and Composition of the Fungal Cell Wall

Chapter 2.     Biosynthesis of the Fungal Cell Wall

Chapter 3.     Cell Cycle of Fungal Pathogens

Chapter 4.     Morphogenesis in Candida albicans

Chapter 5.     Morphogenesis in Other Agents of Systemic Mycoses

Chapter 6.     Regulation of Morphogenesis by Conserved Developmental Pathways in Pathogenic Fungi

Chapter 7.     Beyond Molecular Biology:  Fungal Morphology as a Mathematical, Biophysical and Computational Subject

Section II.  New Taxonomic Tools

Chapter 8.     The Use of Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Uncultivated Microbes in Medical Mycology

Chapter 9.     Gene Genealogical Analyses of Human Fungal Pathogens

Chapter 10.   Polysaccharides F1SS:  Taxonomic and Evolutionary Characters for Ascomycetes

INDEX