Episode Ten - Safeguarding the genetic diversity of Psilocybe in Australia. 

Our tenth EGA Microdose Webcast will feature Dr Alistair McTaggart. Alistair is a mycologist researching the active Psilocybe mushrooms of Australia; the study is being conducted at the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), University of Queensland.

Alistair's talk will be introduced with a cultural history of Psilocybe in Australia, early news articles, research, other species, and some trivia. This short introduction will be presented by Caine Barlow.

Hosted by Nick Wallis & EGA.

Registration for the Microdose Webcasts are free, but donations are encouraged to support EGA's important work (booking fees apply).

Safeguarding the genetic diversity of Psilocybe in Australia.

Alistair has recently started a population study of Psilocybe subaeruginosa and P. cubensis in Australia. He will disucss the questions he hopes to answer, the project's broader aims, and update on the progress so far.

The webcast will also cover a history of Psilocybe research in Australia and a summary of the species taxonomy.

There will also be a Q&A with Alistair as part of the evening programming.

Bio: Dr Alistair Mc Taggart

Alistair is a research fellow for the Centre of Horticultural Science (QAAFI), University of Queensland. He studies the evolution of fungal pathogens, with a focus on rust and smut fungi. He has completed postdocs in Africa, America and Europe. Alistair has started a new research direction for UQ, studying the biodiversity of native psychoactive mushrooms in Australia. This research will determine whether Australian magic mushrooms have evolved unique genetic pathways for production of psilocybin and confirm endemicity of our native taxa. Alistair will establish a living collection to safeguard genetic diversity and provide a platform to research the applications of psilocybin for human health.

Bio: Caine Barlow

Caine Barlow is a Mycologist and Fungi Educator based in Melbourne, Australia.  He gives regular talks on mycology, fungi conservation, and teaches gourmet mushroom cultivation.  He is a member of the Australian organisations Entheogenesis Australis, MYCOmmunity Applied Mycology, The Australian Psychedelic Society, and the Entheome Foundation.

Caine started foraging for mushrooms in the early 1990's, and started cultivating gournet fungi in the mid 2000's. He did his Bachelor of Science at the University of Tasmania, and a Master of Science at the University of Melbourne where his research project was based around Conservation Mycology.

In addition to fungi, Caine has had a long term interest in ethnobotany, ethnobotanical literature,  and growing medicinal plants - in particular Cacti and Acacias. He writes for DoubleBlind and ThirdWave, is a “Trusted Identifier” on The Shroomery, and a moderator on many Facebook fungi groups. Caine posts regularly on his Instagram, @guerrillamycology, sharing adventures from cultivation, foraging, and ethnomycology, to interesting observations from his home lab.

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About Garden States Microdose Webcasts

The EGA Garden States Microdose Webcasts are designed to cover various topics from the field of ethnobotany and psychedelic culture, sustainability, and related areas of interest to the community. The forums are part of the program leading up to the highly anticipated Garden States 2021 Botanical Conference. Registration for the Microdose Webcasts are free, but donations are encouraged to support EGA's important work.

About EGA

Entheogenesis Australis is a charitable, educational organisation established in 2004. We provide critical thinking and knowledge sharing opportunities on ethnobotanical plants, fungi, nature, and sustainability. Through our conferences and workshops, we aim to celebrate the culture, art, politics and community around medicine plants in the hope of better wellbeing for humankind and the planet.

To find out more about what we do, head over to our organisational website. If you like what you see, take a look at our upcoming Garden States 2021 Botanical Conference program.  

Warm Regards,  

The Entheogenesis Australis Team 
Planting seeds for the earth, body and mind   
www.entheogenesis.org  
www.gardenstates.org 

Note: Small booking fees may apply. 

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