International Mycological Association Committee for Asia

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    The IMA (International Mycological Association)   Committee for Asia was founded on September 2, 1977 during the second  International Mycological Congress (IMC2) held in Tampa, Florida, USA, as the Committee for the Development of Mycology in Asian Countries.The Committee's aim is to promote the development of mycology through various activities associated with mycological education, training, research, and service in countries and regions within Asia

         The meeting of the Committee held during IMC2 elected as its Chairman Dr. K.S. Thind of India. Subsequently, K. Tubaki was elected Chairman of the Committee at the meeting convened during IMC3 held in Tokyo in August, 1983.  The Committee next met in March, 1986 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and was chaired by K. Tubaki and attended by representatives of eight countries and regions in Asia.  The meeting consisted of two sessions, the   followed by a presentation from each representative describing the history and present status of mycology in their country or region. The second session consisted of original contributions reporting on the distribution of fungi, cultivation of mushrooms, and fungal culture collections.

          The next meeting of the Committee was held in 1988 in Osaka, Japan. Special lectures were delivered by  Committee Chairman, K. Tubaki (Japan) and by Dr.S.C. Jong (USA). Papers were also presented by Dr. Rifai (Indonesia), Dr. Tschen (Taiwan) and by other national representatives. Dr. Zheng was elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee in succession to Dr. F.R.Uyenco (Philippines).  The 5th meeting of the Committee was held at Regensburg, Germany in August, 1990 during IMC4. Newly elected Officers of the Committee for the period 1990-1994 were as follows: Chairperson, Dr. H.S. Chung (Korea); Vice-Chairperson,  Dr. S. Pichyangkura (Thailand); Secretaries, Dr. T. Yokoyama (Japan) and Dr. T.K. Tan (Singapore).  The first meeting of the new Committee was scheduled for Bangkok, Thailand in October, 1991 together with a symposium on "Application of Fungi in Biotechnology". A further meeting was tentatively arranged for 1992 in Seoul, Republic of  Korea. The First Symposium of Mycology in Asia (MIA1) was held on 29-30 October, 1991 at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand. The symposium on "Application of Fungi in Biotechnology" consisted of five separate sessions, namely; I. Keynote Lecture and Special Lectures; II. Fungal Biotechnology and Taxonomy; III. Fungi as Plant Pathogens; IV. Mushroom Biotechnology; V. Fungal Biotechnology.

        The IMA Regional Asian Mycological Symposium was held from 1-4 October, 1992 at Seoul National University, Republic of Korea. More than 100 participants representing most Asian countries as well as North America and Europe attended. Presentations focused on fungi in bioscience, mushroom culture, plant pathology, biocontrol, and molecular and morpho-systematics.  The Proceedings of this meeting were published by the Korean Society of Mycology.The meeting of the IMA  Committee for Asia held on October 1 and 3, 1992 in Seoul decided to compile a list of Asian mycologists prior to IMC5 for better communications in all areas of mycology.

        At IMC5 held in Vancouver, Canada in August 1994, a new committee headed by Professor Z.C. Chen (Taiwan) was elected. This Committee held its first meeting in March 1995 in Taipei in conjunction with the symposium on "The Fungal Biodiversity in Asia." The most recent meeting of the Committee was held in July 1996 in Chiba, Japan In conjunction with the Asian International Mycological Congress '96 (AIMC '96).   

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