Mycologist

The mycologist is the mushroom specialist. This scientist makes an inventory of fungi present in the natural environment. He collects them, observes them and writes a precise description (size, color, location, date) before analyzing them, especially from a genetic point of view. Using the transplanting technique, he produces cultures of living organisms in his laboratory. A mycologist can study other varieties of similar organisms, for example certain algae. A mycologist who works to identify and classify species is like a botanist. The work to be done in this area remains colossal: it is estimated that less than 15% of existing species have been discovered. If specializing in fungal microorganisms, the mycologist uses techniques from microbiology, biochemistry, and cell and molecular biology to study them.