Vasco Fachada

Vasco Fachada, Research leader in fungal taxonomy at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London; Biomedical researcher in Immunology and Spatial Biology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki; Collaborator at BEPE, BIOPOLIS, University of Porto. Cell physiologist with expertise in various eukaryotic tissues, trained in lipidology and immunology. As a taxonomist he focuses on macrofungi, particularly the family Inocybaceae and other Agaricales, authoring a number of novelties. Has experience in programmatically managing private and public fungal databases, ensuring their interoperability. His bioinformatics proficiency extends to phylogenetics and the development of advanced bioimage analysis pipelines, utilizing deep learning techniques to phenotype morphological patterns in microscopical data. Finally, on the wet lab side, he is a seasoned histologist and microscopist. His career goal is to bridge fungal physiology and taxonomy. Firstly, by aiming to decipher hidden behavioral traits capable of delineating phylogeographic speciation. And secondly, by uncovering potential life-based solutions for environmental sustainability and human well-being.