BALTIMORE — A Johns Hopkins professor is getting $1.25 million from the state to conduct "groundbreaking" research in astromycology - the study of fungi (from earth) in space, announced the Maryland Department of Commerce today.
Dr. Radamés JB Cordero will look at how fungi affects life in space and its role in public health.
It's part of the Bloomberg School of Public Health's Gilbert Otto Endowed Professorship in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Hopkins has already raised $1.25 million in private funds for the position, and Maryland Commerce is awarding a matching grant.
Cordero's research has "strong commercialization potential," will help combat public health risks, and advance the use of "fungal-based biotechnologies in space travel," said Commerce Secretary Kevin Anderson and Johns Hopkins University Vice Provost for Research Denis Wirtz.
Fungi have already shown they can "colonize a spacecraft, threatening vital equipment as well as the health of astronauts."
But, they could also help fight infectious disease in space, and be part of sustainable food production and efficient energy production.
That's why Hopkins' work is getting the support of the state's Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative, which is how Maryland Commerce is distributing the grant.
The E-Nnovation Institute supports scientific and technical research in higher education; it's given more than $79.25 million in funding since being created by the General Assembly in 2014.
Wirtz also said in a statement:
Dr. Cordero’s work opens exciting avenues of research in understanding fungal biology, ecology, and the potential applications of fungal-based biotechnologies in space travel. This award, matched with a generous private donation, affirms Johns Hopkins’ position at the forefront of science discovery and translation for real-world solutions. We are thankful for the opportunity to partner with Maryland Commerce in funding this research and bolstering the state’s robust research ecosystem.
