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Magan Centre of Applied Mycology - MCAM

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Magan Centre of Applied Mycology - MCAM, College & University, College Road, George Solt Building, B52a, Cranfield.

The Magan Centre of Applied Mycology ( ) is a scientific research centre at Cranfield University, UK, dedicated to pioneering mycological research that harnesses the transformative potential of fungi in fostering a sustainable, green economy.

05/03/2025

𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆’𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗚𝗼?

🚿💄 Every year, the beauty industry produces 𝟭𝟮𝟬 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘀, yet 𝟳𝟬% 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗱.

Even more shocking?
𝟱𝟲% 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹

That means most of it ends up in landfills or the ocean, where it lingers for centuries.

This week the world is marking 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 (𝟯-𝟵 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱).

The major UK players - including the British Beauty Council, cosmetics brands like L’OCCITANE Group, Medik8, ELEMIS, L'Oréal, Boots UK, local small cosmetic businesses, and sustainability leaders like THE WASTE AND RESOURCES ACTION PROGRAMME are coming together to tackle the industry’s waste crisis.

The British Beauty Council’s Sustainable Beauty Coalition has launched the 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗨𝗽, a first-of-its-kind initiative rallying brands and retailers to tackle beauty packaging waste and improve recycling.

But what if we could go beyond just recycling?

𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗶: 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗿

At Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM), we support industry-wide efforts through research and developing technologies in - a ground breaking approach that breaks plastic down at a molecular level.

🔬 Our colleague Professor Roberto Parra-Saldivar, previously part of a pioneering research team at Tecnológico de Monterrey, helped to develop a laccase-based catalytic microreactor - a fungal enzyme-driven breakthrough that actively degrades ( ), a chemical found in beauty , , and products.

💡 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵:

✅ 55 𝘱𝘱𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘗𝘈 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘧 0.5309 𝘜/𝘮𝘓·𝘮𝘪𝘯—𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯.

✅ 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘻𝘺𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮, 𝘱𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

✅ 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘻𝘺𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘌𝘋𝘊, 𝘦𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘴.

📜 Read the full research paper here: https://buff.ly/OpiGQOH

This research proves that fungi can help process and dissolve plastic, offering a new way to rethink management.

🚀 If you're a business leader, researcher, or sustainability pioneer interested in collaborating with us, drop us an email at [email protected]

Follow for more!

04/03/2025

🔬 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗜𝗢𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗬 🌍

𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲?

The dream of fungal-based is real.
The is promising.

But what’s standing in the way?

Our recent poll revealed the following results:

🚧 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽𝘀 (𝟰𝟯%)
We can grow the science, but can we scale it?

💰 𝗦𝗸𝘆-𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 (𝟮𝟵%)
Advanced processes demand advanced investment.

🤔 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗺 (𝟮𝟵%)
If people don’t trust it, will it ever take off?

Surprisingly, regulatory barriers weren’t seen as a major challenge.

This tells us one thing:
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 - 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘂𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰.

Dr. Abhishek Baghela, our expert in biofuels at Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM), breaks it down:

"𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘭-𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺.

𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴, 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘱 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘫𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴.

𝘈𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺, 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘧𝘶𝘦𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, #𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦-𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴. "

Fungal biofuels aren’t just a concept - they are part of the net-zero solution.
Let's work together toward achieving and a future.

The challenge isn’t IF they will happen, but HOW FAST we can make them viable.

There is significant room for innovation in these areas and we at are actively working on it.

🔗 Follow us at Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM) for more insights into .

📩 Interested in or in , , and production?

Email us at [email protected]

27/02/2025

🎉 Congratulations to Elias Oyesigye on Successfully Defending His PhD Viva! 🎉

Today, Elias Oyesigye successfully defended his PhD viva as part of his journey toward earning a PhD in Environment and Agrifood!

His research provides critical insights into aflatoxin (a carcinogenic compound) exposure in Uganda’s cassava value chain and presents low-cost, innovative solutions to reduce mycotoxin contamination—an important contribution to food safety and public health.

🔬 Thesis Title:
Occurrence of Mycotoxins, Diversity of Aspergillus Section Flavi, Along the Cassava Value Chain, and Innovative Strategy for Aflatoxin Reduction During Storage in Uganda.

👏 Appreciation to his supervisory and examination team:

Primary Supervisor: Prof A. Medina Vaya
Associate Supervisor: Dr C. Cervini
Internal Examiner: Dr C. Verheecke-Vaessen
External Examiner: Prof S. Edward
Chair of Viva: Prof Z. Yang

This accomplishment was made possible through the support of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK.

📢 Explore Elias’ published research:
🔗 ScienceDirect https://buff.ly/3QAZsAf
🔗 Springer https://buff.ly/43hs1dE

A major milestone achieved—final steps ahead! Congratulations, Elias! 🎓👏

17/02/2025

🌟Honouring Women in Science at Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM)🌟

🌍 As the world celebrated last week, we take great pride in recognising the remarkable female academics at 🌟

Their dedication, expertise, and pioneering research in food safety, agriculture, and environmental sustainability are making a lasting impact on science and society.

🔬 Meet Our Leading Scientists:

✨ Dr Andrea Patriarca – Senior Lecturer in

A leader in food mycology, Dr Patriarca’s research focuses on and , driving innovative solutions to enhance and minimize . Her work provides critical insights into food preservation and strategies to combat foodborne illnesses linked to fungal toxins.

✨ Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen – Senior Lecturer in

Dr Verheecke-Vaessen investigates the mechanisms behind mycotoxin production, exploring how environmental factors influence fungal behaviour. Her research is crucial in predicting and mitigating in , helping to safeguard global food supplies.

✨ Dr Carla Cervini – Academic Fellow in

Dr Cervini leads innovative projects focused on managing in agricultural systems. By integrating cutting-edge technology with field research, she develops practical solutions that protect crops from mycotoxin threats. Through close collaboration with farmers and industry stakeholders, her research ensures real-world impact on food security and safety.

These outstanding researchers are not only advancing knowledge but also inspiring the next generation of women in STEM.

At MCAM, we remain committed to fostering , , and , recognising that scientific progress thrives on diverse perspectives. As we reflect on Women in Science Week, we reaffirm our commitment to amplifying the voices of women in research and ensuring their contributions are recognised and valued.

💬 Let’s continue to support and uplift women in science every day!

17/02/2025

🌟Every discovery needs a great storyteller. 🎙️🔬🌟

We’re pleased to welcome Varvara Ponomarenko ACMI to the team! With 10+ years of experience in marketing and business operations, she joins us as our new Officer at the Magan Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM)

Varvara will be helping us share our latest research, innovations, and events - ensuring our work reaches the right audiences.

Stay tuned for exciting updates! 🔬🌱

Let’s give her a warm welcome together with our director Prof. Angel Medina ! 👏

17/02/2025

Dear followers of Magan Centre of Applied Mycology - MCAM,

Let us introduce ourselves and start this exciting journey of and at centre.

Since August 2024 when we were granted funding from Research England to launch our team has grown to 10, and our followers have grown to 587 on LinkedIn this month.

Magan Centre of Applied Mycology - MCAM is a cutting-edge research hub at Cranfield University dedicated to unlocking the transformative power of fungi.

We’re not just studying - we’re using them to , our planet, and drive a future.

🔬 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻?

🌱 𝗠𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀– Sustainable, biodegradable alternatives to plastics & textiles

⚡ 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗹-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗼𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 – Mycofuels & biohydrogen for cleaner energy

🏗️ 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Fireproof, sustainable building materials

🌊 𝗠𝘆𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Using fungi to clean water and soil

🥗𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Reducing food waste & spoilage

💡𝗘𝗰𝗼-𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 – Fungal-based sensors, batteries & electronics

We got £7.2M investment from Research England to expand our team, deliver research based for industry and drive the change for a better world.

Check out our webiste, and follow us on Facebook & Instagram for behind-the-scenes , , and more.

Web: https://buff.ly/3CX7FM7

IG: https://buff.ly/410k0Hs

FB: https://buff.ly/3EIscV8

Join us in exploring how fungi can revolutionise the way we live!

12/02/2025

🌟 Honouring Women at Science at Magan centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM) 🌟

🌍 As the world celebrates this week, we take great pride in recognising the remarkable female academics at 🌟

Their dedication, expertise, and pioneering research in food safety, agriculture, and environmental sustainability are making a lasting impact on science and society.

🔬 Meet Our Leading Scientists:

✨ Dr Andrea Patriarca – Senior Lecturer in
A leader in food mycology, Dr Patriarca’s research focuses on and , driving innovative solutions to enhance food safety and minimize contamination. Her work provides critical insights into and strategies to combat foodborne illnesses linked to fungal toxins.

✨ Dr Carol Verheecke-Vaessen – Senior Lecturer in
Dr Verheecke-Vaessen investigates the mechanisms behind , exploring how environmental factors influence . Her research is crucial in predicting and mitigating mycotoxin risks in crops, helping to safeguard global food supplies.

✨ Dr Carla Cervini – Academic Fellow in
Dr Cervini leads innovative projects focused on managing in agricultural systems. By integrating cutting-edge technology with field research, she develops practical solutions that protect crops from mycotoxin threats. Through close collaboration with farmers and industry stakeholders, her research ensures real-world impact on food security and safety.

These outstanding researchers are not only advancing scientific knowledge but also inspiring the next generation of women in .

At MCAM, we remain committed to fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion, recognising that scientific progress thrives on diverse perspectives. As we reflect on Women in Science Week, we reaffirm our commitment to amplifying the voices of women in research and ensuring their contributions are recognised and valued.

💬 Let’s continue to support and uplift women in science—not just this week, but every day!

Cranfield University

12/02/2025

Welcome to Our New Academics at !

We are pleased to welcome three exceptional academics to the Centre of Applied Mycology (MCAM) at University. Their expertise in technology, biotechnology, and environmental will greatly strengthen our and efforts.

Dr. Abhishek Baghela – Senior Lecturer in Fungal-Based Bioenergy

With over 13 years of research experience, Dr Baghela has worked across academia and industry, specialising in yeast and filamentous fungal biotechnology, biofuels, and fungal . His expertise in production and process will be key to advancing MCAM’s work in sustainable biofuel and

Dr Vinod Kumar – Senior Lecturer in Microbial Technology and Biorefining

A leading researcher in bioprocessing and metabolic engineering, Dr Kumar has spent 15 years developing sustainable bio-based solutions for , chemicals, and waste valorisation. His work in economy approaches and microbial cell factories will further MCAM’s commitment to and industrial biotechnology.

Professor Roberto Parra-Saldivar – Professor Chair of Environmental Mycoremediation

Returning to his alma mater, Professor Parra Saldívar brings 30 years of experience in fungal bioremediation, CO₂ capture, and waste valorisation. With over 303 publications, 18 patents, and leadership in sustainability projects, he will spearhead innovative research and industry collaborations to address challenges and change.

We are thrilled to have them join us and look forward to their contributions to applied , , and !

Follow us on for more exciting updates! 👉 https://buff.ly/42NDPUQ

Address

College Road, George Solt Building, B52a
Cranfield
MK43 0AL

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5:30am
Tuesday	9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9am - 5:30pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

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https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/centres/magan-centre-of-applied-mycology

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