WVU Student Discovers LSD-Related Fungus Producing Ergot Alkaloids

Corinne Hazel, an environmental microbiology major at West Virginia University, discovered a new species of fungus called Periglandula clandestina growing on morning glory plants. This fungus produces ergot alkaloids similar to those found in LSD, a drug used to treat depression, PTSD, and addiction. The discovery confirms a long-held hypothesis by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann, the inventor of LSD, that a fungus in morning glories produced similar psychedelic compounds. Hazel and her advisor Daniel Panaccione sequenced the fungus's genome, marking a significant scientific achievement, especially for a student. This breakthrough opens potential avenues for pharmaceutical development targeting conditions such as migraines, dementia, and Parkinson's disease. Their findings were published in the journal Mycologia, highlighting the importance of this previously elusive fungus.