Endolichenic Fungi: Present and Future Trends

Dr. Manish Tripathi holds an M.Sc. in Botany and completed his Ph.D. on Diversity and antimicrobial activity of endolichenic fungi isolated from some macrolichens of Kumaun Himalaya at Kumaun University in 2017. Currently Dr. Tripathi is working as Guest Faculty at the Department of Botany, Kumaun University, SSJ Campus, Almora. He previously worked as a Junior Research Fellow (UGC Sponsored Project) and Research Associate (CSIR Project) and has published 25 papers in national and international journals. He also received the Uttarakhand Young Scientist Award in 2013 from the Uttarakhand Congress for Science and Technology (UCOST) for his novel work in the field of endolichenic fungi. His research focuses on lichen diversity studies, systematics of endolichenic fungi, and the characterization and evaluation of secondary metabolites of endolichenic fungi in terms of their antibiotic potential. Dr. Yogesh Joshi, before joining the Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur as an Associate Professor in 2018, served at the Department of Botany, Kumaun University, SSJ Campus, Almora as an Assistant Professor from 2011 to 2018. For a short time (March 2016 to June 2016) he also worked as a Scientist E1 at Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), Peechi, Kerala. Dr. Joshi completed his master’s and doctorate at Kumaun University, Nainital, and Post Doctorate at Sunchon National University, Sunchon, South Korea, and has published over 100 scientific papers in prominent national and international journals. He has successfully completed many projects funded by various agencies, e.g. the University Grants Commission (UGC), Scientific and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and GB Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment and Sustainable Development (GBPNIHESD), and is the recipient of many academic awards, including the Prof. YS Murty Gold Medal (2015), Uttarakhand Young Scientist Award (2015), Dr. PD Sethi Memorial National Award (2016), Iyengar-Sahni Medal (2017) etc. Dr. Joshi is a fellow of the Association of Plant Taxonomy (FAPT) and life member of various prestigious societies, e.g. the Indian Botanical Society, Indian Mycological Society, and Indian Lichenological Society.  

1.  What are Lichens?.- 2. Introduction to Endolichenic fungi.- 3. Protocols for isolating Endolichenic fungi.- 4. Diversity of Endolichenic fungi.- 5.Diversity and distribution of Endolichenic fungi in India and rest of world.- 6. Endolichenic fungi: a promising source for novel bioactive compounds.- 7. Future perspectives.