The Biology of Fungi - 1.5 Million Species - 1 Congress

1700 Delegates to Meet at the 9th Mycological Congress 1-6 August 2010, Edinburgh

OXFORD, England, July 12, 2010 - The British Mycological Society, in association with Elsevier, the
world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information,
today announced the final programme for the 9th Mycological Congress IMC9:
The Biology of Fungi. This congress takes place every 4 years at a different
venue around the world.

Taking place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, a
comprehensive programme encompasses the latest research in all areas of
fungal biology. More than 300 oral presentations are arranged within 45
thematic symposia and supplemented by over 1000 posters, optional special
interest group meetings, field trips and an exhibition. A complementary
public exhibition, entitled 'From Another Kingdom', will be hosted at the
Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh during the Congress and later into Autumn
2010.

Fungal biology has never been as important in our everyday lives as it is
today because of the commercial importance for biotechnology, medicine and
the food industry. Fungi also provide a model for studying the eukaryotic
mode of life. Further, fungi are crucial to the functioning of the ecosystems
of our planet because of the role they play in decomposition and nutrient
cycling. New areas of research will be reviewed within the following five
main themes of the congress: Cell biology, biochemistry and physiology;
Environment, ecology and interactions; Evolution, biodiversity and
systematics; Fungal pathogenesis and disease control; Genomics, genetics and
molecular biology.

Nick Read, Professor of Fungal Cell Biology at the University of
Edinburgh and Chair of IMC9, is looking forward to the culmination of years
of planning, "The UK has a long tradition of being at the forefront of
international mycology and we are exceptionally pleased to welcome more than
1700 delegates from around the world to hear from an eminent line up of
plenary speakers and to enjoy a wide ranging programme. Edinburgh has much to
offer our delegates and we are looking forward to bringing the mycological
community together to sample Edinburgh's fantastic arts festival and
hospitality as well as the latest science."

The 9th Mycological Congress takes place at the Edinburgh Convention
Centre in Edinburgh, UK, 1-6 August 2010. Full information is available at
www.imc9.info.

About the British Mycological Society

The British Mycological Society (BMS) (www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/),
founded in 1896, is a modern, vibrant group of University and citizen
scientists who share a keen interest in many and varied aspects of fungal
biology including biochemistry, biodiversity, biotechnology, cell biology,
ecology, evolution, fungal interactions with animals and plants, genetics and
molecular biology, physiology, taxonomy and systematics. The Society is also
active in the promotion of conservation and field mycology, and in education
through schools, universities and with the general public. It publishes the
academic journals Fungal Biology (formerly Mycological Research), Fungal
Ecology and Fungal Biology Reviews, and a magazine for citizen scientists -
Field Mycology. The Society runs scientific and field meetings.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and
medical information products and services. The company works in partnership
with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000
journals, including The Lancet (www.thelancet.com) and Cell
(www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major
reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions
include ScienceDirect (www.sciencedirect.com), Scopus
(www.scopus.com), Reaxys (www.reaxys.com), MD Consult
(www.mdconsult.com) and Nursing Consult
(www.nursingconsult.com), which enhance the productivity ofscience
and health professionals, and the SciVal suite (www.scival.com) and
MEDai's Pinpoint Review (www.medai.com), which help research and
health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier (
www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part
of Reed Elsevier Group PLC (www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading
publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier
PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam),
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    Media Contact
    Nina Cosgrove
    +44-1865-843958
    n.cosgrove@elsevier.com

Media Contact: Nina Cosgrove, +44-1865-843958, n.cosgrove at elsevier.com