Prof. CAI has extensively investigated fungi of special niches including freshwater, dung, thermophilicand bambusicolous habitats. More than 4,000 specimens have been examined leading to the discovery and description of five new genera, 45 new species and seven new combinations. He published one monograph, two book chapters, and 49 papers on 14 peer-reviewed international journals, and these publications have been cited for 378 times (H’-index = 12).
For his outstanding performance on mycological research, Prof. CAI was awarded the prestigious CAS “Hundred-Talent Program” and is currently a full professor of mycology at IMCAS. He currently serves as vice secretary in General of Mycological Society of China and has made his contributions in promoting mycological studies in both China and Asia. As executive associate editor, Prof. CAI has played a key role in establishing a new international journal, Mycology – an international journal on fungal biology. He is currently an associate editor of Fungal Diversity and also reviews papers for journals such as, Plant Pathology, Plant Disease, Microbial Ecology, Mycopathologia, Mycotaxon, BioResources, Mycoscience and Nova Hedwigia. He is also an active educator for young scholars and graduate students, by giving presentations at various mycological workshops on fungal systematics and phylogeny.
The International Mycological Association (IMA) has established six IMA Young Mycologist Awards to mark outstanding research accomplishment by young mycologists from each of the six IMA Regional Mycological Organizations from 2010. The International Mycological Association, which represents at least 30,000 mycologists throughout the world, has bestowed its first awards for young mycologists with exceptional records.
The letter from the Office of the President: Prof. dr John Taylor
