A visit to Zhejiang University in Hangzhou — one of the leading universities in China, with more than 65,000 students.
The campus is so large that even a bus runs through it 🚍
We had a very inspiring meeting with Professor Lin Wenfei (林文飞), one of China’s foremost experts in mycology.
The department he leads houses an impressive collection of more than 3,000 mushroom species gathered from across the country. These specimens serve as study material for students researching their morphology, properties, and bioactive compounds.
During our meeting, I was once again reminded of how essential medicinal mushrooms are in China.
They stand at the crossroads of Eastern and Western medicine — connecting ancient knowledge with modern scientific approaches.
The millennia-long use of medicinal mushrooms in Traditional Chinese Medicine confirms the growing popularity of an integrative approach to health, which is now rapidly evolving in Western medicine as well.
Professor Lin and I agreed that the role of medicinal mushrooms will continue to grow — as a natural source of unique bioactive compounds that support health and balance in the human body. 🍄
The department pays special attention to improving mushroom cultivation technologies — for example, growing reishi or cordyceps on silkworm larvae to increase the concentration of active compounds.
We discussed opportunities for joint research, where mycobiotech SIBIPHARM could act as a coordinator between Chinese and Czech universities, bringing together the scientific potential of both countries.
Professor Lin also showed us a unique collection of giant reishi fruiting bodies grown in Chinese forests.
The connection between science and business opens the door to new discoveries in the field of mycopharmacy and functional mushrooms. 🌿
