Eurofung started as a project funded by EC, and has now grown into a collaboration of 35 academic and industrial research centers with the aim to explore the fungal potential for innovative products for white biotechnology as well as for novel solutions for crop protection and health care.

Fungi have a huge impact on our daily life, both in a positive and negative way. They produce metabolites, antibiotics and enzymes which are already used in a wide range of applications from medicine to laundry. Fungi serve as industrial bio-factories and represent key players of white biotechnology. They represent the second largest group of eukaryotic species on earth and are only outnumbered by insects. A conservative estimate comprises approximately 1.5 million fungal species where less than 5% are described. This means there is a vast potential on compounds which is up to now unexplored.

In addition, some fungi produce potent toxins which are able spoil our food and to infect immuno-compromised patients, which leads to increasing costs for both crop protection as well as public health.