The CMM-FAILSAFE Network unites researchers, clinicians, and innovators working to address the urgent global challenge of antifungal drug resistance. This page highlights publications from across our global CMM-FAILSAFE network, showcasing pioneering studies, reviews, and collaborative outputs that advance understanding in medical mycology, diagnostics, therapeutics, and One Health strategies. Together, these works embody the FAILSAFE commitment to innovation, accessibility, and global health equity in tackling fungal antimicrobial resistance.
| Sustainable lycopene/propiconazole-based nanoencapsulated formulations and their synergistic effect against Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus | Hina Raza a, Ramika Javaid b, Muhammad Hayat b, Suryyia Manzoor b, Asmara Ashraf a, Muhammad Imran Khan c, Fawad Ahmad d, Abdallah Shanableh c , Rafael Luque | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.104212 | Results in Engineering | March 2025 |
| Dual fungal endocarditis in a pediatric dialysis patient: First case of Aspergillus flavus and Candida parapsilosis co-infection | Hari Pankaj Vanam, Tasneem Shamsi Basha, Fatima Al Dhaheri, Amina Bakro, Akela Ghazawi, Areej AlGhamdi | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211753925000442?via%3Dihub | Medical Mycology Case Reports | 20/09/2025 |
| Lactic acid in the vaginal milieu modulates the Candida-host interaction. Virulence | Rosati D, Valentine M, Bruno M, Pradhan A, Dietschmann A, Jaeger M, Leaves I, van de Veerdonk FL, Joosten LAB, Roy S, Stappers MHT, Gow NAR, Hube B, Brown AJP, Gresnigt MS, Netea MG | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39843417/ | Epub | 22/01/2025 |
| Transkingdom mechanism of MAMP generation by chitotriosidase feeds oligomeric chitin from fungal pathogens and allergens into TLR2-mediated innate immune sensing. | Chang TH, Cardona Gloria Y, Hellmann MJ, Richardo T, Greve CL, Le Roy D, Roger T, Bork F, Bugl S, Jakob J, Sonnberger J, Kasper L, Hube B, Pusch S, Gow NAR, Sørlie M, Tøndervik A, Moerschbacher BM, Weber ANR | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11911531/ | Frontiers in Immunology | 03/03/2025 |
| Immunomodulatory function of chitosan is dependent on complement receptor 3 | Wagener J, Wang X, Becker KL, Aimanianda V, Valsecchi I, Gresnigt MS, Netea MG, Latge JP, Gow NAR, van de Veerdonk FL | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40539032/ | Cell Surf | 22/05/2025 |
| Protein kinase A signaling regulates immune evasion by shaving and concealing fungal β-1,3-glucan | Pradhan A, Nev OA, Leaves I, Nev OA, Ma Q, Milne G, Patterson G, Netea MG, Erwig LP, Farrer RA, Brown GD, van den Berg HA, Gow NAR, Brown AJP | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40489619/ | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | 09/06/2025 |
| Multi-omics analysis of experimentally evolved Candida auris isolates reveals modulation of sterols, sphingolipids, and oxidative stress in acquired amphotericin B resistance | Chauhan A, Carolus H, Sofras D, Kumar M, Kumar P, Nair R, Narayanan A, Yadav K, Ali B, Biriukov V, Saini A, Leaves I, Vergauwen R, Romero CL, Malavia-Jones D, Singh A, Banerjee A, Rudramurthy SM, Chakrabarti A, Mondal AK, Gaur NA, Sanyal K, Rybak JM, Gabaldón T, Van Dijck P, Gow NAR | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40468551/ | Mol Microbiol | 01/08/2025 |
| Distinct echinocandin responses of Candida albicans and Candida auris cell walls revealed by solid-state NMR | Dickwella Widanage MC, Singh K, Li J, Yarava JR, Scott FJ, Xu Y, Gow NAR, Mentink-Vigier F, Wang P, Lamoth F, Wang T | Nature Communications | 08/07/2025 | |
| Effects of short-chain fatty acid combinations relevant to the healthy and dysbiotic gut upon Candida albicans | Hickey E, Leaves I, Pradhan A, Ma Q, Yuecel R, Gow NAR, Brown GD, Brown AJP | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12307570/ | Curr Microbiol | 29/07/2025 |
| Glycan microarray analysis of Candida-related antibodies in human and mice sera guides biomarker discovery and vaccine development | Reuber EE, Hickey E, Pradhan A, Sprute R, Lingscheid T, Tober-Lau P, Leaves I, Stappers MHT, Kurth F, Bruno M, Netea MG, Sander LE, Cornely OA, Gow NAR, Brown AJP, Singh RK, Omoregbee-Leichnitz S, Sletten ET, Danglad-Flores J, Seeberger PH | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40996794/ | Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | 30/09/2025 |
| Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems | Case NT, Gurr SJ, Fisher MC, Blehert DS, Boone C, Casadevall A, Chowdhary A, Cuomo CA, Currie CR, Denning DW, Ene IV, Fritz-Laylin LK, Gerstein AC, Gow NAR, Gusa A, Iliev ID, James TY, Jin H, Kahmann R, Klein BS, Kronstad JW, Ost KS, Peay KG, Shapiro RS, Sheppard DC, Shlezinger N, Stajich JE, Stukenbrock EH, Taylor JW, Wright GD, Cowen LE, Heitman J, Segre JA | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39910383/ | Nature | Februray 2025 |
| Simple large-scale quantitative phenotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility testing with Q-PHAST | Juan Carlos Nunez-Rodriguez, Miquel Àngel Schikora-Tamarit, Ewa Ksiezopolska, Toni Gabaldón | https://www.nature.com/articles/s41596-025-01179-z | Nature Protocols | 12/05/2025 |
| Insights into the origin, hybridisation and adaptation of Candida metapsilosis hybrid pathogens | Valentina Del Olmo , Álvaro Redondo-Río, Alicia Benavente-García, Savitree Limtong, Ester Saus, Toni Gabaldón | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1012864 | PLoS Pathogens | 17/01/2025 |
| Towards the development of supramolecular self-associating amphiphiles as antibiofilm agents against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans biofilms. | Kira L. F. Hilton, Hendrik J. F. Steyn, Kusasalethu S. Luthuli, Matthew Rice, Bree R. Streather, Esther Sweeney, Lisa J. White, Findley R. Morgan, Jennifer Rankin, Jennifer Baker, Charlotte Bennett, Hollie B. Wilson, Perry A. Hailey, Michelle D. Garrett, Jose L. Ortega-Roldan, J. Mark Sutton, Charlotte K. Hind, Carolina H. Pohl and Jennifer R. Hiscock | https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2025/tb/d5tb00653h | Journal of Materials Chemistry B | 16/06/2025 |
| Structure–activity Relationships of Fenarimol Analogues with Potent in vitro and in vivo Activity Against Madurella mycetomatis, the Main Causative Agent of Eumycetoma | H. P. Duong, D. Melechov, W. Lim, J. Ma, K. Scroggie, L. Rajendra, B. Perry, L. Cruz, P. Rutledge, A. Motion, W van de Sande and M. H. Todd | https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2025/md/d5md00427f | RSC Medicinal Chemistry | 18/09/2025 |
| Aspergillus fumigatus in the Food Production Chain and Azole Resistance: A Growing Concern for Consumers | Katherin Castro-Ríos, Maria Clara Shiroma Buri, Arla Daniela Ramalho da Cruz and Paulo Cezar Ceresini | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/4/252 | Journal of Fungi | 26/03/25 |
| The Burden of Neonatal Invasive Candidiasis in Low- and Middle-income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis | Daniel Hsiang-Te Tsai, Ian Chang-Yen Wu,Ling-Fang Chang, Marie Jen-Huey Lu, Brishti Debnath, Nelesh P. Govender, Mike Sharland, Adilia Warris, Yingfen Hsia, Laura Ferreras-Antolin | https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf329 | OFID | 11/06/2025 |
| Antibiofilm activity of manogepix, ibrexafungerp, amphotericin B, rezafungin, and caspofungin against Candida spp. biofilms of reference and clinical strains | Andres Ceballos-Garzon, Julien Lebrat, Marion Holzapfel, Diego F Josa, Jeremy Welsch, Derry Mercer | https://doi.org/10.1128/aac.00137-25 | Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy | 15/05/2025 |
| Recent Systemic Antifungal Exposure and Nonsusceptible Candida in Hospitalized Patients, South Africa, 2012–2017 | Charlotte Rabault, Liliwe Shuping, Ruth Mpembe, Vanessa Quan, Fanny Lanternier, Olivier Lortholary, Olivier Paccoud, Nelesh P. Govender, for GERMS-SA | https://doi.org/10.3201/eid3110.250359 | EID | 10/10/2025 |
| Pathogen aetiology and risk factors for death among neonates with bloodstream infections at lower-tier South African hospitals: a cross-sectional study | Susan Meiring, Vanessa Quan, Rudzani Mashau, Olga Perovic, Rindidzani Magobo, Marshagne Smith, Ruth Mpembe, Anne von Gottberg, Linda de Gouveia, Sibongile Walaza, Cheryl Cohen, Constance Kapongo, Cheryl Mackay, Mphekwa Thomas Mailula, Omphile Mekgoe, Lerato Motjale, Rose Phayane, Angela Dramowski, Nelesh P Govender, on behalf of Baby GERMS-SA |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanmic.2024.100989 | Lancet Microbe | May 2025 |
| First report of infections due to Candidozyma (formerly Candida) auris in Botswana, 2022-2024. | Gatonye TW, Machiya T, John-Thubuka J, Mkubwa J, Ntereke TD, Zankere T, Lechiile K, Tembo CV, Gopolang B, Zwinila K, Tiroyakgosi C, Mannathoko N, Mokomane M, Loeto D, Mwamba M, Mashau R, Mpembe R, Nzimande S, Govender NP, Goldfarb DM, Lautenbach E, Coffin S, Nakstad B, Strysko J, Richard-Greenblatt M. | https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/spectrum.02042-25 | Microbiology Spectrum | 03/09/2025 |
| Antimicrobial activity of the peptide C14R against ab initio growing and preformed biofilms of Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candidozyma auris | Walter JC, Kissmann AK, Gruber D, Alpízar-Pedraza D, Martell-Huguet EM, Preising N, Rodriguez-Alfonso A, Ständker L, Kleber C, Knoll W, Stenger S, Firacative C, Rosenau F. | https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15030322 | Biomolecules | 20/02/2025 |
| Biofilm-associated candidiasis: pathogenesis, prevalence, challenges and therapeutic options | Amann V, Kissmann AK, Firacative C, Rosenau F. | https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18040460 | Pharmaceuticals | 21/03/2025 |
| Broad antifungal spectrum of the pore-forming peptide C14R against Cryptococcus and Candida species from the WHO fungal priority pathogens list | Firacative C, Vélez N, Kissmann AK, Alpízar-Pedraza D, Walter JC, Ständker L, Rosenau F. | https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14060511 | Pathogens | 20/05/2025 |
| Anti-biofilm peptides can rescue fluconazole and amphotericin B efficacies against Candida albicans | Kissmann AK, Mildenberger V, Krämer M, Alpízar-Pedraza D, Martell-Huguet EM, Perez-Erviti JA, Cetinkaya A, Pietrasik J, Otero-Gonzalez AJ, Firacative C, Rodríguez A, Ständker L, Weil T, Stenger S, Rosenau F. | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-10315-4 | Scientific Reports | 02/07/2025 |
| Antimicrobial peptides Act-6 and Act 8-20 derived from Scarabaeidae cecropins exhibit differential antifungal activity | Rodríguez M, Toro LJ, Firacative C, Gómez BL, Rivas-Santiago B, Andreu D, Castaño JC, Téllez GA, Muñoz JE. | https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11070519 | Journal of Fungi | 07/07/2025 |
| In Vitro Evaluation of Ibrexafungerp Against Clinical and Environmental Isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii | Ceballos-Garzón A, Firacative C. | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jgar.2025.09.001 | J Glob Antimicrob Resist | 08/09/2025 |
| Establishment of epidemiological cutoff values for Fonsecaea pedrosoi, the primary etiologic agent of chromoblastomycosis, and eight antifungal medications | Dallas J Smith, Marcia S C Melhem, Jessy Dirven, Conceição Maria Pedrozo e Silva de Azevedo, Sirlei Garcia Marques, Bruna Jacomel Favoreto de Souza Lima, Vania Aparecida Vicente, Maria da Glória Teixeira Sousa, James Venturini, Nathan P Wiederhold, Amir Seyedmousavi, Philippe J Dufresne, Sybren de Hoog, Shawn R Lockhart, Ferry Hagen, Daniel Wagner de C L Santos | https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12077196/ | Journal of Clinical Microbiology | 04/04/2025 |
| Fungal Meningitis in US Patients Who Received Epidural Anesthesia in Matamoros, Mexico
This report is novel as it encompasses all 24 patients identified in this Fusarium meningitis outbreak, includes an additional isolate along with antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST) data, describes whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and comparison of isolates from both this outbreak and the Durango fungal meningitis outbreak, incorporates autopsy and medical tourism data, and presents outcomes associated with fosmanogepix use. |
Dallas J Smith, Elizabeth Misas, Jeremy A W Gold, Nicole Evert, Thi Dang, Emilie Prot, Simone Godwin, JulieAnna Rivas, Jessica Pearson, Lori Koenecke, Nirma D Bustamante, Maria Julia Marinissen, Gabriel Garcia Rodriquez, Irma López-Martínez, Caitlyn Lutfy, Samantha Williams, Axel A Vazquez Deida, Katrina M Byrd, Julian A Villalba, Sarah Reagan-Steiner, Lindsay Parnell, Lalitha Gade, Romney M Humphries, Nathan P Wiederhold, Charles Y Chiu, Joshua A Lieberman, Anastasia P Litvintseva, Tom Chiller, Luis Ostrosky-Zeichner, | https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaf399/8210664 | Clinical Infectious Diseases | 22/07/2025 |
| SA-XV, a 15-amino acid fragment of host defense peptide S100A12, targets mitochondria and is protective against fungal infections | Riddhi Agarwal, Karishma Biswas, Akshita Agrawal, Nisha Nandhini Shankar, Srijita Kundu, Dipanwita Roy, DeokHyun Son, Amaravadhi Harikishore, Ragothaman M Yennamalli, DongKuk Lee, Anirban Bhunia, Sanhita Roy | https://www.jbc.org/article/S0021-9258(25)02595-5/fulltext | Journal of Biological Chemistry | 18/09/2025 |
| No Evidence for Environmental Triazole Resistance Selection Route in Aspergillus Section Flavi, The Netherlands, 1994–2023 | Shaoqin Zhou, Sarah A Ahmed, Marlou Tehupeiory-Kooreman, Hanka Venselaar, Henrich van der Lee, Yinggai Song, Chao Tang, Auke W de Jong, Yingqian Kang, Paul E Verweij, G S de Hoog, and Jochem B Buil. | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11046-025-01003-y | Mycopathologia | 08/10/2025 |
| Climatic and endothermic thermal stress adaptation may be a major driver of emerging and emergent multidrug resistant fungi | Chibuike Ibe Carolina Henritta Pohl |
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1575755/full | Front. Microbiol. | 08/09/2025 |
| Increasing priority for antifungal resistance research—Are we making progress? An excerpt from GAMRIF summit 2025 | Chibuike Ibe | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949928325000902 | hLife | 17/09/2025 |
| Extracellular hydrolytic enzyme activities and biofilm formation in Candida species isolated from people living with human immunodeficiency virus with oropharyngeal candidiasis at HIV/AIDS clinics in Uganda | Benson Musinguzi, Andrew Akampurira, Hope Derick, Laban Turyamuhika, Alex Mwesigwa, Edson Mwebesa, Vicent Mwesigye, Immaculate Kabajulizi, Tahalu Sekulima, Francis Ocheng, Herbert Itabangi, Gerald Mboowa, Obondo James Sande, Beatrice Achan | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2024.107232 | Microbial Pathogenesis | 22/02/2025 |
| Increasing postgraduate medical mycology research dissertations at Uganda’s higher institution of learning | Beatrice Achan, Benson Musinguzi, Herbert Itabangi, Obondo James Sande, David B. Meya |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijregi.2024.100562 | IJID Regions | 14/02/2025 |
| Environmental sources of Cryptococcus neoformans species complex in Kampala, Uganda: A preliminary study | Beatrice Achan, Abel Wembabazi, Tonny Luggya, Innocent Robert Ebwongu, Benson Musinguzi, Herbert Itabangi, Henry Kajumbula, David Meya |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329947 | Plos one | 18/08/2025 |
| Pathogenic Aspergillus spp. and Candida spp. in coastal waters from southern Brazil: an one health approach | FERREIRA, E. A. ; VON GROLL, A. ; POESTER, V. R. ; ESPERON, B. M. ; TRAPAGA, M. R. ; HIDALGO, J. E. D. ; XAVIER, M. O. | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42770-024-01604-7 | Brazilian Journal of Microbiology | 01/01/2025 |
| Histoplasmosis screening using urinary antigen detection in people living with HIV in Southern Brazil. | DOS SANTOS BLAN, BIANCA ; POESTER, VANICE RODRIGUES ; BASSO, ROSSANA PATRICIA ; SANCHOTENE, KARINE ORTIZ ; CACERES, DIEGO H ; RAMIS DE SOUZA, IVY BASTOS ; PASQUALOTTO, ALESSANDRO C ; Xavier, Melissa Orzechowski | https://academic.oup.com/mmy/article-abstract/63/3/myaf017/8029899?redirectedFrom=fulltext | Medical Mycology | 01/03/2025 |
| In vitro Effects of The New Antifungal Compound Manogepix (APX001) Against the Three Most Clinically Relevant Species of Sporothrix | ALMEIDA-SILVA, F. ; POESTER, V. R. ; XAVIER, MELISSA O ; ZANCOPE-OLIVEIRA, R. M. ; PAES, R. A. | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42770-025-01711-z | Brazilian Journal of Microbiology | 01/07/2025 |
| Investigation of invasive fungal infection in tuberculosis/hiv coinfected patients | RONCAGLIO, REJANE ; BIERHALS, DIENEFER VENSKE ; ANDRADE, EMÍLIA FERREIRA ; BLAN, BIANCA DOS SANTOS ; BUFFARINI, ROMINA ; VON GROLL, ANDREA ; BASSO, ROSSANA PATRÍCIA ; DA SILVA, PEDRO EDUARDO ALMEIDA ; Xavier, Melissa Orzechowski ; DE SOUZA, IVY BASTOS RAMIS | https://doi.org/10.1093/mmy/myaf045 | Medical Mycology | 01/06/2025 |
| Medical Mycology Education in Brazil: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Medical Schools | PASQUALOTTO, ALESSANDRO C ; AQUINO, VALERIO R ; FALCI, DIEGO R ; SEVERO, CECILIA B ; XAVIER, MELISSA O ; TRINDADE, EDUARDO N | https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf540 | Open Forum Infectious Diseases | 01/09/2025 |
| Sustainable lycopene/propiconazole-based nanoencapsulated formulations and their synergistic effect against Aspergillus parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus | Hina Raza, Ramika Javaid , Muhammad Hayat b ,Suryyia Manzoor b, Asmara Ashraf a, Muhammad Imran Khan c, Fawad Ahmad d, Abdallah Shanableh c e, Rafael Luque |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.104212 | Results in Engineering | Mar-25 |
| Drug Interactions of Antifungal Agents: Clinical Relevance and Implications”. This review aims to delve into the management of fungal infections, with a focus on optimizing antifungal therapy while minimizing drug interactions. It underscores the challenges posed by drug-resistant pathogens and the complex pharmacokinetics of antifungal agents. | CORRÊA-JUNIOR, DARIO ; FRASES, Susana ; DE S. ARAÚJO, GLAUBER R. | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40475-024-00336-w#citeas | Drug Interactions of Antifungal Agents: Clinical Relevance and Implications | 11/01/2025 |
| “Fungal Metabolomics: A Comprehensive Approach to Understanding Pathogenesis in Humans and Identifying Potential Therapeutics.”Metabolomics has emerged as a transformative tool in the study of microbes, including pathogenic fungi, facilitating the identification of unique metabolic profiles that elucidate their pathogenic mechanisms, host interactions, and treatment resistance. This review highlights key applications of metabolomics in understanding fungal metabolites essential for human virulence, such as mycotoxins produced by various fungal species, including Aspergillus fumigatus (gliotoxin, fumagillins) and Candida species (phenylethyl alcohol, TCA cycle metabolites), and secondary metabolites that contribute to pathogenicity. It also explores the metabolic adaptations of fungi in relation to drug resistance and biofilm formation, revealing alterations in key metabolic pathways during infection, as seen in C. albicans and C. auris. Furthermore, metabolomics aids in deciphering host–pathogen interactions, showcasing how fungi like Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida modify host metabolism to promote survival and evade immune responses. The study of antifungal resistance mechanisms has also benefited from metabolomic approaches, identifying specific metabolite patterns that signify resistance, such as in Candida albicans and Candidozyma (Candida) auris, and informing new therapeutic strategies. The integration of metabolomics with other omics technologies is paving the way for a comprehensive understanding of fungal biology and pathogenesis. Such multi-omics approaches are crucial for discovering new therapeutic targets and developing innovative antifungal treatments. Thus, the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of how metabolomics is revolutionizing our understanding of fungal pathogenesis, drug resistance, and host interactions, and to highlight its potential for identifying new therapeutic targets and improving antifungal strategies. | ALVES, VINICIUS ; ZAMITH-MIRANDA, DANIEL ; Frases, Susana ; Nosanchuk, Joshua D | https://www.mdpi.com/2309-608X/11/2/93 | Journal of Fungi | 24/01/2025 |
| Impact of sodium lactate as a carbon source in the polysaccharide of Cryptococcus species. Cryptococcosis is a systemic mycosis caused by fungi of the genus Cryptococcus, with the polysaccharide capsule serving as the primary virulence factor. In immunocompromised individuals, the fungus can disseminate to the central nervous system, leading to severe complications. This study investigates the morphological and physicochemical changes induced by sodium lactate in the polysaccharide capsule of Cryptococcus species. We observed alterations in cell growth and capsule expansion; however, the electrical and viscoelastic properties of the capsular polysaccharides did not show statistically significant changes across the lactate concentrations studied. Notably, hospitalized patients with cryptococcal meningitis receiving Ringer’s solution exhibited unfavorable clinical outcomes, including higher mortality rates compared to those treated with saline. These findings suggest that sodium lactate significantly impacts the morphology, structure, and proliferation of Cryptococcus species, influencing key factors such as capsule size and cell body size, which are critical for the fungus’s survival and dissemination. The reduction in capsule size in lactate-containing media may facilitate the spread of smaller cells to extrapulmonary tissues. Despite significant morphological changes, fluorescence microscopy confirmed that the chemical composition of the capsular polysaccharide remained unaltered, indicating that the effects are primarily quantitative. Furthermore, changes in the pH of the growth medium suggest that metabolic byproducts differ in the presence of lactate. These results underscore the need for enhanced clinical awareness regarding the use of lactated Ringer’s solution in cryptococcal infections, as lactate may exacerbate fungal virulence and resistance, highlighting the importance of understanding metabolic interactions when developing effective therapeutic strategies. | RODRIGUES, MARCUS ; ARAÚJO, GLAUBER R. DE S. ; ALVES, VINICIUS ; Frases, Susana | https://www.academia.edu/3064-9765/2/2/10.20935/AcadMolBioGen7675 | Academia Molecular Biology and Genomics | 17/04/2025 |
| Neurobasal medium enhances titan cell formation in Cryptococcus spp.Titan cells in Cryptococcus species play a critical role in fungal virulence by resisting oxidative stress, phagocytosis, and antifungal treatments. Developing reliable methods to induce titan cells is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of Cryptococcus pathogenesis. | GODOY, J. ; Igor Avellar-Moura ; Juliana Soares ; Pontes, B. ; FRASÉS, SUSANA | https://www.scielo.br/j/mioc/a/kDfzqdvkTKGQhFxDJWyMDqd/?lang=en | Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz | 19/03/2025 |
| Urban Mangroves Under Threat: Metagenomic Analysis Reveals a Surge in Human and Plant Pathogenic Fungi. | BRITTO MARTINS DE OLIVEIRA, JULIANA ; BARBIERI, MARIANA ; CORRÊA-JUNIOR, DARIO ; SCHMITT, MATHEUS ; SANTOS, LUANA LESSA R. ; BAHIA, ANA C. ; PARENTE, CLÁUDIO ERNESTO TAVEIRA ; Frases, Susana ; | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/8/759 | Pathogens | 01/08/2025 |
| Fungal Pathogenesis and Virulence in the Anthropocene: Multidimensional Impacts of Climate Change.This review explores understudied dimensions of climate change-fungal pathogenesis interactions, focusing on molecular mechanisms, complex ecological interactions, and emerging interdisciplinary approaches.Fungal pathogenesis in the context of climate change involves complex mechanisms beyond thermal adaptation. Integrated approaches combining metabolomics, metagenomics, and ecological modelling are essential for understanding and mitigating emerging threats. | de S. Araújo, G.R., Frases, S | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40588-025-00252-1 | Curr Clin Micro Rpt | 15/09/2025 |
| Cryptococcus neoformans phospholipase B1 is critical for cryptococcoma formation in the mouse brain. Frontiers in Immunology.Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) is an encapsulated, neurotrophic fungus that can cause life-threatening meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. Phospholipase B1 (PLB1) promotes Cn adhesion and colonization, however its role in fungal biofilm formation is not entirely clear.These results emphasize the need for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying the pathogenicity of Cn. In addition, our findings provide further evidence to validate PLB1 as an important antifungal target. | MUNZEN, MELISSA E. ; DE SOUSA ARAÚJO, GLAUBER R. ; HAMED, MOHAMED F. ; REGUERA-GOMEZ, MARTA ; LEE, HIU HAM ; Pontes, Bruno ; ALVIÑA, KARINA ; Frases, Susana ; FRASES, S. ; Martinez, Luis R. | https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1681033/full | Front. Immunol., | 14/10/2025 |
| The Role of Nutritional Environment in Cryptococcus gattii Titan Cells? Ultrastructure, Biophysical Properties, Molecular Features, and Virulence in Cryptococcosis.Background/Objectives: Cryptococcus gattii presents a significant threat to healthy individuals. Titan cell formation, a key virulence factor, is influenced by the nutritional environment and plays a critical role in immune evasion and stress resistance. This study investigates the molecular and biophysical changes in titanized C. gattii cells grown in nutrient-rich Neurobasal™ medium, a potent inducer of titan cells. Methods: An integrative approach was used, combining scanning electron microscopy, optical tweezers, fluorescence microscopy, and physicochemical methods to analyze C. gattii cells grown in Neurobasal™ medium and minimal media. Results: Cells grown in Neurobasal™ medium exhibited significant differences compared to those grown in minimal media. These included a thicker and more defined polysaccharide capsule, enhanced capsule elasticity, and the secretion of more elastic polysaccharides. Furthermore, cells grown in the enriched medium showed reduced susceptibility to antifungals and delayed mortality in infection models. Conclusions: C. gattii adapts to nutritional cues by forming titan cells, thereby enhancing its pathogenicity. Targeting nutritional sensing pathways may offer novel therapeutic strategies against cryptococcal infections. | AVELLAR-MOURA, IGOR ; ARAUJO, GLAUBER R. DE S. ; GODOY, JULIANA ; ALVES, VINICIUS ; ANDRADE, IARA BASTOS DE ; SOARES, JULIANA ; Pontes, Bruno ; Frases, Susana | https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7449/17/4/101 | nfect. Dis. Rep | 16/08/2025 |
| Title: Assessing the anti-Cryptococcus antifungal potential of artemisinin
Description: The paper explored the antifungal properties of artemisinin, a compound traditionally used to treat malaria, against Cryptococcus neoformans, a pathogen responsible for life-threatening infections. With rising resistance to fluconazole, the standard antifungal treatment, the study sought an alternative treatment option. The obtained data revealed that artemisinin not only inhibited in vitro growth and disrupted the structural integrity of the yeast cells but also enhanced the ability of macrophages and haemocytes to phagocytose the yeast. This immune-boosting effect was complemented by in vivo results where Galleria mellonella larvae infected with artemisinin-treated yeast cells showed significantly improved survival. The compound’s mechanism involved causing mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings suggest artemisinin could be a valuable addition to antifungal therapy, warranting further investigation. |
Maphori Maliehe, Jacobus Albertyn, and Olihile M. Sebolai | International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26209953 | International Journal of Molecular Sciences | 13/10/2025 |
