Lutzoni Lab – Evolution, Ecology, and Genomics of Fungal Symbioses

Welcome to the Lutzoni Lab

NSF - Arctic fungi

Learn more about our NSF project on endophytic and endolichenic fungi of the Arctic

NSF - GoLife

Learn more about our NSF, GoLife, project on the largest group of unknown fungi.

Factors shaping lichen networks

Learn more about our NSF BEE project on lichen networks.

Research interests in the Lutzoni lab are centered on symbiotic systems involving fungi and photoautotrophic organisms. Lichens, including their microbiomes, have been our principal focus, but since 2005 our research program has expanded to include endophytic fungi found in all lineages of land plants and endolichenic fungi found in lichen thalli. We have been studying these symbioses primarily from a macroevolutionary perspective, but since 2003 we have adopted an interdisciplinary approach bridging evolutionary biology, ecology, and genomics. Research in the Lutzoni lab spans the full spectrum of activities, from intensive fieldwork-based surveys to experimental laboratory work, across broad spatio-temporal scales.

2023-08: Welcome Amanda Wilson – New Ph.D. Student in the Lutzoni lab

By Diego Garfiasgallegos August 16, 2023 August 17, 2023 News

We are happy and excited to welcome Amanda Wilson to the Lutzoni lab as a first-year Ph.D. student in the Duke Biology department. Amanda is interested in studying the dispersal and population structure of fungal endophytes. Amanda graduated with a B.S. in Plant Sciences at Cornell University.

2023-06-26: When Science and Art meet…

By Ian Medeiros July 6, 2023 July 6, 2023 News

As a part of the BSURF program, Arielle went on an art crawl in downtown Durham for a weekend outing. She found a lichen glass art piece in one of the galleries by Teddy Devereux, a retired scientist who now focuses on artwork!