MBG To Host USA Biology Lecture

The Mobile Botanical Gardens (MBG) will present the University of South Alabama (USA) Biology Lecture Series at MBG on April 29 at 6 p.m. It will feature Dr. Juan Luis Mata, an associate professor and curator of the USA biology department’s fungarium. Mata’s research interests focus on the taxonomy, systematics, evolution and ecology of mushrooms. His current projects include studies on American shiitake and other wood- and leaf-litter-decomposing mushrooms from the U.S. Gulf Coast region and Caribbean basin. Born in the U.S., Mata spent his childhood in Guatemala before attending high school in Costa Rica. He remained in Costa Rica to complete both his BS and MS degrees in biology. He earned his PhD from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In his dissertation, he investigated fungal taxonomy and systematics of the mushroom genera Lentinula, Gymnopus and Rhodocollybia from the Talamanca Mountains of Costa Rica. His research integrates traditional morphological studies with molecular and computational methods. This multidisciplinary approach has resulted in several peer-reviewed publications and numerous collaborative abstracts with students. The lecture is free, but those planning to attend are asked to RSVP by contacting Sara Habel at email.