MRC Centre for Medical Mycology (CMM)

Description

The Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology (MRC CMM) at the University of Exeter, relocated from the University of Aberdeen, is an internationally recognized world-leading center of excellence in the field of medical mycology. The MRC CMM is focused on conducting cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and training the next generation of scientists to increase research capacity in this neglected field in the UK.

Despite the significant burden and high rates of death associated with fungal infections, research in this field remains limited compared to other infectious diseases, highlighting the pressing need for more research. Experts in the field have identified three priorities that require urgent attention:

• Improving the ability to detect fungal infections by developing robust, rapid, simple, and cost-effective diagnostics.
• Generating better, safer, and more effective antifungal drugs.
• Enhancing the understanding of fungal virulence and host antifungal immunity, and leveraging these discoveries to combat these devastating infections.

The limited progress in tackling these challenges is largely attributed to the lack of basic and clinical scientists working in this field in the UK and worldwide. Although the UK has a small but highly active community of scientists working on fungal diseases (medical mycologists), more efforts are needed to address the research gap in this field.

The centre has worked extensively with artists and the arts. Projects include 'Our Body is a Planet' with artist in resident Leoni Hampton, Researching Resistance with Simon Ryder, the 'Pharmakon' statue, Performing the Mycobiome as part of Coventry City of Culture and Peony Gent's 'A Brick in the Wall'. Alongside this work, there is an ongoing programme of creative community engagement. More information on all these projects can be found at The Fungal Threat > Art meets medical mycology

Offers funding

No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University of Exeter
Exeter