Carlos A. Aguilar-Trigueros

I lead an ecology research group at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland, with a visiting affiliation at SynoSys. Our work focuses on predicting how fungi interact with their environment by studying their morphology. Fungi share a deceptively simple body plan—a network of microscopic filaments. These networks underpin key ecological functions, from circulating carbon and nutrients in soils to causing major diseases in plants, including all major crops. Yet we still know surprisingly little about how such a simple body structure supports such a wide range of functions. By combining ecological experiments with image analysis and network theory—in close collaboration with SynoSys—we aim to move from descriptive observations of fungal form to predictive models of their development and function. In doing so, we are uncovering the secrets of one of nature’s most overlooked yet essential life forms.

Interests

Fungal Ecology
Morphological Networks
Image Analysis
Predictive Modeling
Soil Biodiversity
Network Theory in Biology

Education

2023 Academy Research Fellow, University of Jyväskylä (Finland)
2021 Feodor Lynen Fellow, Western Sydney University (Australia)
2015 Dr. rer. nat. (PhD) Ecology, Freie Universität Berlin (Germany)
2009 B.Sc. & M.Sc. Biology, Universidad de El Salvador (El Salvador)