Welcome to our lab website! We are an international and friendly research lab located at the University of Kent in the beautiful Canterbury (South East, UK), part of  the Kent Fungal Group (KFG).
Our lab is dedicated to uncovering how changes in an organism's genome and epigenome impact its ability to adapt to new environments. Specifically, we focus on the fungal CTG clade, a group of ascomycetous yeasts with emerging clinical importance and high biotechnological potential.
We leverage both genetics and genomics to drive innovation projects that serve both our curiosity and industry goals. Our research can be categorized into three main themes:
1. Understanding the biology of Candida albicans, the most common human fungal pathogen
2. Exploring the use of CTG-clade yeast species in the alternative non-animal based food sector
3. Investigating the potential of CTG-clade yeast species for second-generation bioethanol production.
By bringing together cutting-edge genetic and genomic techniques, we aim to uncover groundbreaking insights into these organisms' abilities to adapt to new environments. Our research has the potential to transform not only the scientific community's understanding of these yeasts but also the alternative food and bioethanol industries.

Recently, the lab has also taken up interest in filamentous fungi and their potential role in stabilising our increasingly fragile food chain. We are looking at various edible species and their natural ability to process a variety of substrates. 

See Professor Alessia Buscaino's shenanigans here!