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David Rinker

  • Circular phylogenetic tree showing evolutionary relationships among hundreds of yeast species analyzed in the study. Branches are colored by fungal order, and concentric colored rings around the outside indicate whether each species is resistant to seven antifungal drugs: fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, terbinafine, caspofungin, 5-fluorocytosine, and amphotericin B. The visualization illustrates that antifungal resistance occurs across many evolutionary lineages rather than being confined to a single group.

    Researchers use technology to better understand and predict drug-resistant fungi

    By Tatum Lyles Flick, Evolutionary Studies communications consultant Many fungi are naturally resistant to the drugs available to treat them, while others evolve resistance to drugs prescribed in clinical settings. Determining which medication will be most effective in treating a patient can be a time-consuming challenge. Vanderbilt University… Read More

    July 29, 2026

  • Two side-by-side images. On the left, a petri dish containing a fluffy white fungal colony with several circular growth patterns, representing a laboratory culture of the fungus Aspergillus. On the right, a close-up microscopic image showing the detailed structure of an Aspergillus spore head, with a dense cluster of greenish spores radiating from a central point, displaying the intricate texture and morphology of the fungal spores.

    Researchers Discover Wide Variation in Virulence of Non-Pathogenic Fungi

    By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study led by research assistant professor David Rinker sheds light on how fungal pathogenicity might evolve. The article, “Strain heterogeneity in a non-pathogenic Aspergillus fungus highlights factors associated with virulence,” was published in the journal Communications Biology in September 2024. Read More

    September 11, 2024