Beyond the science, the week was filled with memorable cultural and social events:
🍷 Welcome at @FutureAfrica
🔬 FABI, UPLC & NMR lab tours
🖼️ Private tour of the Javett Art Centre
🐘 Safari in Pilanesberg @funguscrous.bsky.social @ms-fungi.bsky.social @bernardslippers.bsky.social

2/ Hosted by Josphat Matasyoh (@EgertonUniversity), the team explored multiple sites to collect soil, mushrooms, and insect- & plant-associated fungi in one of East Africa’s richest biodiversity hotspots. 🌱🌿🪲 @ms-fungi.bsky.social @helmholtzhzi.bsky.social @lisha-hzi.bsky.social

3/ Each day ended with lab sessions: processing samples, exchanging techniques, and diving deep into the shared passion for fungal diversity. These moments of collaboration were as valuable as the time in the forest. 🔬💬✨ @ms-fungi.bsky.social @helmholtzhzi.bsky.social

4/ From forest floors to lab benches to conference halls, this collaboration is a powerful reminder of how global partnerships drive science forward, especially in uncovering the hidden world of fungi. 🍄💡

5/ The expedition didn’t end in the field. Most of the team then travelled to 🇿🇦 to join the Mycobiomics meeting at #FABI, continuing discussions & strengthening international networks in fungal research @ms-fungi.bsky.social @funguscrous.bsky.social @nerimanyilmaz82.bsky.social

Hi Eric
I can try - you might not find it again 😳

Oh YES! Eric - we need to culture this as well - you seem to be collecting like a demon! Santa appears to favour mycologists!

Wow Eric - lovely find! I would be happy to culture and sequence it for you - there are several species on Claviceps, and it would be interesting to see which you collected 👍