Editorial: Molecular genetic approaches to the study of human pathogenic fungi

Abstract

Researches in molecular genetics along with the genome projects provide novel approaches to study microbial pathogens and host-parasite interactions. In order to keep pace with these advances, a series of workshops focusing on molecular genetics of human pathogenic fungi have been held in Mexico under the auspices of the Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM). The notion of organizing these workshops originated during the Fifth Centennial of America's International Iberoamerican Symposium held in 1992 at UNAM in Mexico City. Most of the presentations consisted of basic and applied biochemical and physiological studies on medically important fungi along with descriptive host-parasite interactions. However, from a few presentations it was evident that novel molecular genetic studies on medically important fungi have also been conducted. The field of molecular genetics has moved on rapidly and provided mycologists working with human fungal pathogens an opportunity to apply this approach to their studies. In order to provide a scientific platform for researchers in Mexico, the concept of presenting these advances at the workshops came to being. These workshops sought at identifying and recruiting investigators performing cutting-edge research on medically important fungi. The workshops were timely, coincided with the increasing prominence of fungi as agents of human disease and paralleled the application of molecular genetic research on them. The first workshop held at UNAM on March 27–30, 1995 consisted of half-day sessions on: molecular techniques applicable to …