Source: The Third Affiliated Hospital
Written by: The Third Affiliated Hospital
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On April 29, 2015, Professor G. S. de Hoog, a senior researcher at KNAW-Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures Fungal Biodiversity Centre, The Netherlands, visited the Department of Dermatology of The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University.

Prof. G. S. de Hoog’s area of interest is the taxonomy, ecology and evolution of black yeast-like fungi, with emphasis on possible lines of adaptation to the human host and applications in bioremediation. In general patterns of phylogeny of extremotolerance are analyzed in the light of remarkable physiological abilities of black yeasts. Since 1970, he has written over 600 refereed papers, and prepared an Atlas of Clinical Fungi, for which a CD-ROM versions with molecular data is available in Chinese, and wrote 14 chapters on filamentous yeasts for the book “The Yeasts”. His teaching activities involve the international CBS Course on Medical Mycology for medical microbiologists, mycologists and laboratory technologists. He has established a privately financed fund for support of medical mycology in Africa and another for workers from developing countries.

Prof. G. S. de Hoog delivered a lecture entitled “Main ecological traits in Chaetothyriales and Onygenales”, which mainly concerned the pathogens from the common superficial fungal infections and invasive dimorphic fungal infections in clinic. Prof. Lai Wei, director of the Dermatology Department, presided over the meeting. The lecture was warmly welcomed by the faculty and students, and there was an open and active discussion on the related topics. 

After the lecture, Associate Professor Feng Peiying led the tour of the departments, including the outpatient department, cosmetics laboratory and central laboratory. During the tour, Prof. G. S. de Hoog sang high praise to the development of medical mycology research of the Dermatology Department, and promised further academic communication and cooperation with the hospital.