The Fantastic Fungi of Missouri

Come explore the diverse and fascinating world of fungi with us. We will explore the ways that humans have interacted with fungi throughout history including their impacts as pathogens, food and medicine. This field-based course will cover all aspects of the wide world of fungi, from those that rot the food in our fridge to the others that are prized by chefs for their culinary attributes. We will explore the diversity of Missouri mushroom species through fungal forays in the forest, mushroom identification, and an introduction to using modern molecular techniques for DNA-based identification. We will also learn about indoor and outdoor mushroom production. This course will also include an overnight field trip to the southeast corner of the state.