MATIAS J. CAFARO Licenciado en Ciencias Biológicas
Universidad de Buenos Aires  -  ARGENTINA

Office Telephone:                    (785) 864-3740
Fax:                                        (785) 864-5321
E-mail:                                    matcaf@ku.edu

EDUCATION

Undergraduate

Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).
Facultad de Ciencias Exáctas y Naturales.

Degree: Licenciado en Ciencias Biológicas. Mycology 1991-1997

Thesis: Caracterización isoenzimática de endofitos fúngicos de gramíneas autóctonas de la Argentina.
 

Graduate

University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
Program in Plant Biology. 1998
 
 

RESEARCH INTERESTS

- symbiosis between fungi and arthropods
- systematics and coevolution
- marine and anaerobic fungi
- biorremediation of soils
- biotechnological potential of symbionts
 
 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Teaching Assistant

Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Facultad de Ciencias Exáctas y Naturales. UBA
Position earned through competition.
1996, 2nd. Semester, Introduction to Botany.
1997, 1st. Semester, Microbiology of Soils.
1997, 2nd. Semester, Introduction to Botany.

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. University of Kansas.
Fall 2000. History and Diversity of Organisms.

Research Assistant

1994-1997 Mycology Laboratory. Facultad de Ciencias Exáctas y Naturales. UBA
Basic approaches to fungi management. Culture, isolation and microscopy techniques.

1995-1997 Programa de hongos que intervienen en la degradación biológica. PRHIDEB-CONICET (Argentine National Research Council). Budgeted, coordinated and implemented my thesis project. Built up and organized an isozyme laboratory. Developed skills in genetics of fungi.

1995-1997 Studies of symbiosis between fungi and autotrophic organisms. Research Project UBACyT EX047. Determined and monitored endophytes of grasses in different parts of the country. Assisted, conducted and motivated undergraduate's dissertation projects on isozyme analisis of different groups of fungi.

1998-2000 Taxonomy and co-evolution of Trichomycetes (gut-inhabiting fungi) and their Chironomidae (Diptera) hosts Trichomycetes - Fungi Associated with Arthropods. NSF - Partnership for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) DEB 9521811. Maintain culture, liquid nitrogen and lyophilized collections of Trichomycetes. Assist in culturing and determination of new species of fungi.
 

Field Work

1995 Survey campaign of endophytes of grasses in the Province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. Collected, analyzed, recognized grasses in the field. Examined, detected, recorded and isolated fungi.

1997 Survey campaign of endophytes of grasses in the Provinces of Catamarca and Tucumán, Argentina. Collected, analyzed, recognized grasses in the field. Examined, detected, recorded and isolated fungi.

1998 Collection of Trichomycetes in Puerto Rico. Collected and preserved different arthropods, host of Trichomycetes. Dissected and examined under microscope, recorded, photographed and cultured Trichomycetes. Preserved the fungi for later DNA analysis.

1999 Collection of Marine Trichomycetes in Patagonia. Collected and preserved marine Trichomycetes from isopods.
1999 Survey of Trichomycetes in Friday Harbor Island, WA.
 
 

AWARDS

1998 University of Kansas. Dept. of Botany. Arthur Mix Award ($ 650).

1999 University of Kansas. Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Eugenie S. Polson Award ($ 1226).

Asociación Latinoamericana de Micología/National Science Foundation. Taxonomy of Ascomycetes Workshop ($250).

2000 University of Kansas. Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. Plant Biology Summer Scholarship ($ 1875).
 
 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Publications

• 1999 Cabral, D, Cafaro, MJ, Saidman, B, Lugo, M, Reddy, P & White, J, Jr. Evidence supporting the occurrence of a new species of endophyte in some South American grasses. Mycologia 91(2): 315-325.

• 1999 Cafaro, MJ. Baltomyces, a new genus of gut-inhabiting fungus in an isopod. Mycologia 91(3): 517-519.

• 1999 Lichtwardt, R, White, M, Cafaro, MJ & Misra, JK. Fungi associated with passalid beetles and their mites. Mycologia 91(4): 694-702.

• 2000 Cafaro, MJ. Gut fungi of isopods. The genus Palavascia. Mycologia 92(2): 361-369.

• 2000 White, M, Cafaro, MJ & Lichtwardt, R. Arthropod gut fungi from Puerto Rico and summary of tropical Trichomycetes worldwide. Caribbean Journal of Science 36: 210-220.

Papers presented at Professional meetings.

• 1996 Cafaro, M, Perrota, D, Mizyrycki, C, Battista, S & Sivori, A. Cinética de la producción de enzimas extracelulares de Thecotheus pelletieri en medios sintéticos y semisintéticos. II Congreso Latinoamericano de Micología, La Habana, Cuba.
• 1996 Cabral, D, Lugo, M, Cafaro, M & White, J. Asociación con endofitos en gramíneas autóctonas argentinas. II Congreso Latinoamericano de Micología, La Habana, Cuba.
• 1996 Cabral, D, Cafaro, M & Saidman, B. Caracterización isoenzimática de endofitos de gramíneas tóxicas de Argentina. II Congreso Latinoamericano de Micología, La Habana, Cuba.
• 1998 Cafaro, M. Trichomycetes living in the guts of isopods. PEET II. WHOI - MBL, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
• 1998 Cafaro, M. Isozyme study on fungal endophytes of grasses from Argentina. Inoculum 49(2): 12.
• 1999 Cafaro, M. Gut fungi of isopods, the genus Palavascia. XVI International Botanical Congress, St. Louis, MO, USA.
• 1999 White, M. M., Cafaro, M & Lichtwardt, R. Trekking for Trichos: a survey of Trichomycetes in Puerto Rico. XVI International Botanical Congress, St. Louis, MO, USA.
• 1999 Cafaro, MJ. Trichomycetes en Latinoamérica. III Congreso Latinoamericano de Micología, Caracas, Venezuela.
• 1999 Cabral, D, Lugo, M, Cafaro, MJ & White, JF. Asociación con endofitos en gramíneas autóctonas argentinas.II. III Congreso Latinoamericano de Micología, Caracas, Venezuela.
• 2000 Lichtwardt, R, Cafaro, MJ & White, M. M. Toward a new monograph of the Trichomycetes, Fungal associates of arthropods. PEET III: The monographic process. Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC.
• 2000 Cafaro, MJ. Relationship of the Eccrinales to other Trichomycetes. Inoculum 51 (3): 21.

PROFFESIONAL AFFILIATIONS

1996 Asociación Latinoamericana de Micología.
1997 Asociación Micológica "Carlos Spegazzini".
1998 Mycological Society of America.
2001 International Symbiosis Society.

EXTRACURRICULAR COURSES

1996 3-28 June. Microorganisms in Agriculture an Agroindustry. University of Buenos Aires. Ing. Agrónoma O. Correa & Lic. M. Soria.

1997 16-17 October. Bacterial autotrophy and Microbiology Teaching. University of Buenos Aires. Dr. G. Drews & Dr. G. Fuchs (University of Frisburg, Germany) and Dr.H. Schlegel (University of Gottingen, Germany).

1999 27-31 August. Taxonomy of Ascomycetes. University Simón Bolívar & Biological Station "Rancho Grande". Venezuela. Dr. Teresa Iturriaga (University Simón Bolívar, Venezuela) and Dr. Donald Pfister (Harvard University, USA).

COMMUNITY SERVICES

• 1998 Fall
  • Departmental Graduate Student representative.
  • Graduate & Professional Association representative.
  • Graduate Student representative in Recruitment Committee for Fungal Biologist.
• 1999 Spring
  • Departmental Graduate Student representative.
  • Graduate & Professional Association representative.
• 1999 Fall
  • Graduate Student representative in Promotion & Tenure Committee.
• 2000 Spring
  • Graduate Student representative in Promotion & Tenure Committee.