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Susanna M. Badalyan
Doctor of Biological Sciences (1998), Professor (2005)
Team leader, Head of Laboratory of Fungal Biology and Biotechnology
Faculty of Biology, Yerevan State University
1 Aleg Manoogian St.
Yerevan State University
0025 Yerevan, Armenia
Phone: +374 10 – 57 76 71 (office), +374 10 – 52 07 40 (home), +374 94 - 24 25 35 (mob.) Fax: +(374 10) – 55 46 41
E-mail: Badalyan_s@yahoo.com
Current research activities of Prof. Susanna M. Badalyan address the areas of Fungal Biology and Biotechnology.
Her research interests are mainly directed to the morphological, ecological and genetic studies of mycelia of medicinal mushrooms as natural sources of bioactive and chemically valuable substances used in the development of novel biotech-products, bio-pharmaceuticals and health-enhancing functional food additives.


Awards:
2007 Grant by WFCC
2007 Grant by ESF
2007 Grant by NATO
2007 Grant by DAAD
2005-2006 Grant by INTAS
2004 Grant by ISTC
Grant by ANSEF (#04-NS-biotech-814-73), USA
2004-2006 NATO Reintegration Grant (#980764)
2004 Grant by AMI, USA
2004 Grant by OFI, Japan
2004 DAAD Technical Grant (#548.104401.174), Germany
1993 and 2002 DAAD Fellowships, Germany
2000, 2006 and 2007 Grants by BMS, UK
2001 Grant by C.E.U.R, Italy
1994 Grant by ISF, USA
1993, 1994, 1996 and 1997 Grants M.E.S.R., France

The scientific work of Prof. Badalyan has been introduced to an international sphere, as evidenced by the active research collaboration with several European and American universities. In 1980, at the beginning of her carrier, Prof. Badalyan has studied systematics, bio-ecology and physiological activity of Tuffed Yellow Agaric Hypholoma (=Nematoloma) fasciculare under the supervision of Prof. L.V. Garibova (Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia). The results were later published as a monograph (Systematics, Bio-Ecology and Physiological Activity of Nematoloma fasciculare. Yerevan: YSU. 1993. 195 p.). as medicinal properties of phylogenetically diverse group of Coprinoid mushrooms was started in 2002 in collaboration with Prof. U. Kües (University of Göttingen, Germany) and Dr. K. Szafranski (University of Jena, Germany). Significant antifungal, antioxidant, antiprotozoal, mitogenic, proteolytic and fibrinolytic activities were revealed in this group of mushrooms. Further investigations of bioactive compounds and optimization of biotechnological cultivation of mycelium will help obtaining novel biotech-products and enzymes from Coprinoid mushrooms.
The study of genetic variability and medicinal properties of Armenian collections of two medicinal mushrooms Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus ostreatus is continuing since 2002 in collaboration with Prof. K. W. Hughes (University of Tennessee, USA). Revealed high nuclear r-DNA-ITS sequence variability of screened collections showed that Armenia represented an old and divergent gene pool that could provide genetic stocks for improvement of medicinal mushroom strains.
Since 1999, the project aimed at the study of keratinophilic (geophilic) fungi was initiated in collaboration with Dr. J. Mouchacca (Museum Nationale d’Histoire de Nature, Paris). Currently, over 150 strains of 20 species, mainly belonging to genera Ctenomyces, Chrysosporium, Microsporum and Trichophyton, were isolated and identified from more than 10 soil type samples collected in Armenia.
The projects directed to the study of Armenian hypogeal fungi are presently ongoing in collaboration with Dr. A. Zambonelli (University of Bologna, Italy). Based on nuclear r-DNA-ITS sequence data, 10 species including 3 Truffles (Tuber rufum, Tuber rapaeodorum and Tuber scruposum) were originally described in Armenia.
As a result of Prof. Badalyan’s work, the Culture Collection of 404 living strains of 123 species of microscopic and macroscopic fungi including over 120 genetically identified strains was established at the Yerevan State University. The published Catalogue of Collection will assist further development of research in fields of Fungal Biology and Biotechnology in Armenia at regional and international levels.
Prof. Badalyan is an expert in General Mycology, Fungal Biology and Biotechnology. Her research clearly transcends to a scientific community, as evidenced by over 50 publications in the leading scientific journals and 90 contributions to international scientific meetings. She is the author of 1 monograph and 2 books.
Prof. Badalyan has been involved in the training and education of young scientists, supervising undergraduates (3), Masters (2) and PhD students (6), as well as doctorates (1). She is a lecturer in General & Medical Mycology, Fungal Genetics & Cytology, Fungal Biotechnology and Fungal Phylogeny.
In 2005, by the support of Prof. S.M. Badalyan’s NATO and DAAD grants Laboratory of Fungal Biology and Biotechnology (FBBL) has been established in the Faculty of Biology of the Yerevan State University. The necessary equipment and accessories are available in the new lab. The FBBL’s team includes Post-docs, Ph.D., Masters and undergraduate students who are actively involved in international research collaborations currently ongoing in the lab.

Memberships:
Since 2002 Member of Russian Academy of Natural Sciences
Since 2004 Member of Specialized Scientific Council 03.00.17 "Mycology"
Since 2004 Member of British Mycological Society
Since 2005 Member of American Mycological Society
Since 2005 Member of Specialized Scientific Council 018 "Microbiology and Biotechnology"
2007-2010 Editorial board member of International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms (USA)

Selected publications of the last 5 years (2002-2007)
Books

  1. Badalyan S.M., 2005 // Introduction in Fungal Cytology and Genetics. Yerevan: YSU. 88 p.
  2. Badalyan S.M., Gharibyan N.G., Sakeyan C.Z., 2005 // Catalogue of the Fungal Culture Collection at the Yerevan State University. Yerevan: YSU. 58 p.

Papers and Proceedings

  1. Badalyan S.M., Mouchacca J., Gevorkyan S.A., 2002 // Keratinophilic fungi from Armenian soils. Information. Probl. Med. Mycology. 4: 39-42. (Russia).
  2. Badalyan S.M., Innocenti G., Gharibyan N.G., 2002 // Antagonistic activity of xylotrophic mushrooms against pathogenic fungi of cereals in dual culture. Phytopathol. Mediterranea. 41: 220-225. (Italy).
  3. Badalyan S.M., 2003 // Edible and medicinal Basidiomycetes mushrooms as a source of natural antioxidants. Int. J. Med. Mushr. 5: 153-162 (USA).
  4. Badalyan S.M., 2003 // Antioxidant Activity of Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom Flammulina velutipes (Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. (Agaricomycetideae). Int. J. Med. Mushr. 5: 277-286 (USA).
  5. Badalyan S.M., Gharibyan N.G., 2003 // Cultural characteristics of several medicinal Mushrooms. Bot. Res. Asian Russia, Novosibirsk, Russia. P. 10-11.
  6. Badalyan S.M., M. Navarro-González, H.K. Avetisyan, A. Majcherczyk, U. Kües. 2003 // Cultural characteristics of Coprinus spp. Bot. Res. Asian Russia. Novosibirsk, Russia. P. 11-12.
  7. Badalyan S.M., H.K. Avetisyan, M. Navarro-González, K. Szafranski, P.J. Hoegger, U. Kües, 2003 // Two new Coprinus species in Armenia associated with wood: Coprinus strossmayeri (Coprinopsis strossmayeri) and a new species closely related to Coprinus radians (Coprinellus radians).  Bot. Res. Asian Russia. Novosibirsk, Russia. P. 8-9.
  8. Badalyan S.M., 2004 // Screening of antifungal activity of several Basidiomycetes mushrooms. Probl. Med. Mycology. 6: 18-26. (Russia).
  9. Badalyan S.M., 2004 //Antiprotozoal activity and mitogenic effect of mycelium of culinary-medicinal shiitake mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer (Agaricomycetidae).Int. J Med. Mushr. 6: 127-134. (USA)
  10. Badalyan S.M., C.Z. Sakeyan, 2004 // Morphological, physiological and growth characteristics of mycelium of several medicinal mushrooms (Aphyllophoromycetideae). Int. J Med. Mushr. 6: 347-360. (USA).
  11. Badalyan S.M., Hughes K.W., 2004 // Genetic variability of Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus ostreatus collections from Armenia.  Sci. Cultiv. Ed. Med. Fungi., Miami Beach, Florida, USA. P. 149-154.
  12. Badalyan S.M., Innocenti G., Gharibyan N.G., 2004 // Interactions between xylotrophic mushrooms and mycoparasitic fungi in dual-culture experiments. Phytopathol. Mediterranea. 43: 44-48. (Italy).
  13. Badalyan S.M., Polak E., Hermann R., Aebi M., Kües U., 2004 // Role of peg formation in clamp cell fusion of Homobasidiomycete fungi. J. Basic Microbiol, 44: 167-177. (Germany).
  14. Badalyan S.M., 200 // Establishment and maintenance of fungal culture collection for fundamental and applied mycological and biotechnological research in Armenia. WFCC Newsletter. 40: 51-56.
  15. Badalyan S.M., Sisakyan S.H., 2005 // Study of antiprotozoal activity and mitogenic effect within medicinal mushrooms Lentinula edodes, Coprinus comatus and Flammulina velutipes. Int. J. Med. Mushrooms.  7: 382-384 (USA).
  16. Badalyan S.M., Sakeyan C.Z., 2005 // Mycelium macromorphology and growth characteristics of culinary medicinal mushroom Flammulina velutipes (Curt. : Fr.) Sing. Int. J. Med. Mushr. 7: 380-382. (USA).
  17. Badalyan S.M., Kües U., Avetisyan H.K., 2005. // Screening of antioxidant activity of several Coprinoid mushrooms. Adv. Med. Mycology., Moscow, Russia. P. 176-178.
  18. Badalyan S.M., Hovsepyan R.A., Iotti M., Zambonelli A., 2005 // On the presence of truffles in Armenia. Flora Mediterrenea. 15: 683-692. (Italy).
  19. Badalyan S.M., Kües U., Melikyan L.R., Navarro-Gonzáles M., 2005 // Medicinal properties of Coprinoid mushrooms (Basidiomycetes, Agaricales). Int. J. Med. Mushr. 7: 378-380 (USA).
  20. Badalyan S.M., K.W. Hughes, E. Helmbrecht, 2006 // Genetic variability of Flammulina velutipes collections from Armenia. Genetics & Cellular Biology of Basidiomycetes-VI. Pamplona, Spain. P. 101-112.
  21. Badalyan S.M., Hughes K.W., Sakeyan C.Z., Helmbrecht E., 2006 // Morphology, Growth Characteristics and Genetic Variability of The Edible Medicinal Mushroom Flammulina velutipes (Curt.:Fr.) Sing. Collections. Int. J. Med. Mushr. 8: 263-278. (USA).
  22. Badalyan S.M., C.Z. Sakeyan, 2007 // Study of mitogenic effect of cultural broth of several medicinal mushrooms (Aphyllophoromycetideae). Int. J. Med. Mushr. 9: 277-278 (USA).
  23. Badalyan S.M., H.K. Avetisyan, U. Kües. 2007 // Morphological characteristics and growth parameters several Coprinoid mushrooms. Adv. Med. Mycology. Moscow, Russia. P. 214-217.
  24. Badalyan S.M., N.G. Gharibyan, A.E. Kocharyan, 2007 // Perspectives of usage of bioactive substances of medicinal mushrooms in pharmaceutical industry and cosmetology. Int. J. Med. Mushr. 9: 275-276 (USA).
  25. Badalyan S.M., H.K. Avetisyan, M. Navarro-González, U. Kües, 2007 // Phylogenetic significance of morphological, ecological and physiological mycelial characteristics of several Coprinoid mushrooms (Holobasidiomycetidae). Proc. XV Congr. Europ. Mycologist. 16-21 September, S.-Petersburg, Russia. P. 28-29.
  26. Badalyan S.M., N.G. Gharibyan, C.Z. Sakeyan, H.K. Avetisyan, M.O. Grigoryan, M. Navarro-González, U. Kües. 2007 // Biological characteristics and genetic diversity of several Basidiomycetes medicinal mushrooms. Int. J. Med. Mushr. 9: 276-277 (USA).  

Presentations at the International Scientific Meetings

  1. Badalyan S.M., Sisakyan S.H., 2002 // Antiprotozoal activity and mitogenic effect of edible medicinal mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. (Shiitake). 7th Int. Mycol. Congr. August 11-17. Oslo, Norway.
  2. Badalyan S.M., Gasparyan A.V., 2002 // Antioxidant activity of several Basidiomycetes mushroom cultures. 7th Int. Mycol. Congr. August 11-17. Oslo, Norway.
  3. Badalyan S.M., Avetisyan H.K., Navarro-Gonzales M., Kües U., 2003 // Eco-physiological characteristics of several Coprinus species related to wood.  Molecular Biology of Fungi. Conf. Assoc. Gen. and Appl. Microbiology. 3-5 September, Göttingen, Germany.
  4. Navarro-Gonzales M., Badalyan S.M., Avetisyan H.K., Holdenrieder O., Kües U., 2003 // Ligno-cellulose degrading activities within Coprinus species. Molecular Biology of Fungi. Conf. Assoc. Gen. & Appl. Microbiology. 3-5 September, Göttingen, Germany.
  5. Badalyan S.M., Hughes K.W., 2004 // Genetic variability of Flammulina velutipes and Pleurotus ostreatus collections from Armenia. ISMS XVI Int. Congr. March 14-17, Florida, Miami Beach, USA.
  6. Badalyan S.M., Avetisyan H.K., Navarro-González M., Majcherczyk A., Kües U., 2004 // Morphological, physiological and ecological characteristics of several wood-related Coprinoid mushrooms. 100 Years of Fungal Biodiversity and Ecology. CBS Centenary Symp. May 13-14, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  7. Badalyan S.M.,  M. Navarro-González, A. Domingo Marthnez, A. Majcherczyk and U. Kües, 2004 // Decay of poplar wood by Coprinoid mushrooms. Understanding poplar: From genes to functions. Poplar symposium,13-14 May, Göttingen, Germany.
  8. Badalyan S.M., Garibyan N.G., Sakeyan C.Z., 2004 // Fungal culture collection at the Yerevan State University(Armenia). X Int. Congr. Cultures Collections. October 10-15, Tsukuba, Japan.
  9. Badalyan S.M., Kües U., 2005 // Formation of hyphal loops in xylotrophic Coprinoid mushrooms. VI Int. Congr., Genetics and Cellular Biology of Basidiomycetes. June 3-6, 2005. Pamplona, Spain.
  10. Badalyan S.M., Sisakyan S.H., 2005 // Study of antiprotozoal activity and mitogenic effect within medicinal mushrooms Lentinula edodes, Coprinus comatus and Flammulina velutipes. IMMC-3, October 12-17, Port Townsend, Washington, USA.
  11. Badalyan S.M., Sakeyan C.Z., 2005 // Mycelium macromorphology and growth characteristics of culinary medicinal mushroom Flammulina velutipes (Curt.:Fr.) Sing. IMMC-3, October 12-17, Port Townsend, Washington, USA.
  12. Badalyan S.M., Hughes K.W., Helmbrecht E., 2005 // Genetic variability of Flammulina velutipes collections from Armenia. Genetics and Cellular Biology of Basidiomycetes, VI Int. Congr., June 3-6, 2005. Pamplona, Spain.
  13. Badalyan S.M., Kües U., Melikyan L.R., Navarro-Gonzáles M., 2005 // Medicinal properties of Coprinoid mushrooms (Basidiomycetes, Agaricales). IMMC3, October 12-17, Port Townsend, Washington, USA.
  14. Badalyan S.M., Kües U., Melikyan L.R., Navarro-Gonzáles M., 2005 // Medicinal properties of Coprinoid mushrooms (Basidiomycetes, Agaricales). 3th Int. Med. Mushrooms Conf., October 12-17, Port Townsend, Washington, USA.
  15. Badalyan S.M., 2006 // Development of fundamental and applied mycological and biotechnological research in South Caucasus. Workshop INTAS – South-Caucasus 2006. April 19-21, Tbilisi, Georgia.
  16. Badalyan S.M., Avetisyan H.K., Kües U., 2006 // Proteolytic activity of several Coprinoid mushrooms. VIII Int. Mycol. Congress, August 20-25, Cairns, Australia.
  17. Badalyan S.M., Isikhuemhen O.S., Gharibyan. N.G., 2006 // Antifungal/antagonistic activity of Pleurotus tuberregium against filamentous fungi. VIII Int. Mycol. Congr., August 20-25, Cairns, Australia.
  18. Badalyan S.M., Hughes K.W., Sakeyan C.Z., Helmbrecht E., 2006 // Growth parameters, morphological and genetic variability of the medicinal mushroom Flammulina velutipes (Curt.: Fr.) Sing. VIII Int. Mycol. Congress, August 20-25, Cairns, Australia.
  19. Badalyan S.M., 2007 // Database Creation of Fungal Culture Collections at the Yerevan State University (FCC-YSU). ESF conf. on Synthetic Biology (ECSB). November 24-29, Sant Feliu de Guixols, Spain.
  20. Badalyan S.M., C.Z. Sakeyan, 2007 // Pellet morphology and physiological characteristics of several Basidiomycetes mushrooms (Aphyllophoromycetidae) during submerged growth. ICCC-11, October 7-11, Goslar, Germany.
  21. Badalyan S.M., C.Z. Sakeyan, 2007 // Growth characteristics of several wood-decaying mushroom collections (Aphyllophoromycetideae) at different ecological conditions. BMS Annual Meeting. Ecology of Fungal Communities. Sept. 9-12. Manchester, UK.  
  22. Badalyan S.M., C.Z. Sakeyan, 2007 // Study of mitogenic effect of cultural broth of several medicinal mushrooms (Aphyllophoromycetideae).IMMC4, 23-27 September, Ljubljana, Slovenia.  
  23. Badalyan S.M., N.G. Gharibyan, C.Z. Sakeyan, U. Kües, 2007 // Screening of mycelial characteristics of Basidiomycetes fungi collections. ICCC-11, October 7-11, Goslar, Germany.
  24. Badalyan S.M.,   Iotti M.,  Zambonelli A., 2007 // Ecology and distribution of hypogeal fungi reported in Armenia. BMS Annual Meeting. Ecology of Fungal Communities. 9-12 September. Manchester, UK.  
  25. Badalyan S.M., N.G. Gharibyan, A.E. Kocharyan, 2007 // Perspectives of usage of bioactive substances of medicinal mushrooms in pharmaceutical industry and cosmetology. IMMC4, 23-27 September, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
  26. Badalyan S.M., N.G. Gharibyan, C.Z. Sakeyan, H.K. Avetisyan, M.O. Grigoryan, M. Navarro-González, U. Kües. 2007 // Biological characteristics and genetic diversity of several Basidiomycetes medicinal mushrooms. IMMC4, 23-27 September, Ljubljana, Slovenia.