Paul Stamets

Paul Edward Stamets (born July 17, 1955) is an American mycologist, author and advocate of bioremediation and medicinal mushrooms.^[3]

Early life

Stamets was born in Columbiana, Ohio a small town near Youngstown in Ohio, a town he describes as bible belt and ultra conservative, with an older brother John^[4] and siblings Bill, Lilly and North.^[5] He attended Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania from 1969 to 1973, Kenyon College in 1974 when he was 19,^[4] and graduated from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington with a bachelor's degree in 1979. Training in the martial arts since a child, he received a black belt in Taekwon Do in 1979. In 1994, he received a black belt in HwaRang Do.^{[6] [7][8][9][10]}

Paul Stamets credits his late brother John, a professional photographer and lecturer, with being his mycology influence. Paul states, "He inspired me on my path into the field of mycology, after his travels to Mexico and Colombia in pursuit of magic mushrooms” in the 1970s.^[5]

Research and advocacy

Stamets is on the editorial board of the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms (Begell House). He is an advisor to the Program for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He is involved in two National Institutes of Health-funded clinical studies on cancer and HIV treatments using mushrooms as adjunct therapies. He earned nine patents on the antiviral, pesticidal, and remedial properties of mushroom mycelia. A strong advocate of preserving biodiversity, Stamets supports research into the role of mushrooms for ecological restoration.

Stamets discovered four new species of mushrooms. He is an advocate of the permaculture system of growing, and considers fungiculture a valuable but underutilized aspect of permaculture. He is a leading researcher into the use of mushrooms in bioremediation, processes he terms mycoremediation and mycofiltration.

Patents awarded

• U.S. Patent # 9,474,776. “Integrative Fungal Solutions for Protecting Bees”. October 2016.
• U.S. Patent # 9,399,050. “Controlling insects and arthropods using preconidial mycelium and extracts of preconidial mycelium from entomopathogenic fungi” July, 2016.
• U.S. Patent # 8,753,656. “Compositions for controlling disease vectors from insects and arthropods using preconidial mycelium and extracts of preconidial mycelium from entomopathogenic fungi.” June, 2014.
• U.S. Patent # 8,765,138. “Antiviral and antibacterial activity from medicinal mushrooms.” 2014
• U.S. Patent # 8,501,207. “Mycoattractants and mycopesticides.” 2013
• U.S. Patent # 7,951,389. “Mycoattractants and mycopesticides.” 2011
• U.S. Patent # 7,951,388. “Mycoattractants and mycopesticides.” 2011
• U.S. Patent # 7,575,764. “Compositions comprising Hypsizygus ulmarius extract.” (with A. Weil and C. Chen) 2009.
• Australian Patent # 2001296679. “Mycoattractants and mycopesticides.” (ceased) 2008
• U.S. Patent # 7,122,176. “Mycoattractants and mycopesticides.” 2006
• U.S. Patent # 6,660,290. “Mycopesticides.” 2006

Recognition

Stamets was the recipient of the "Bioneers Award" from The Collective Heritage Institute in 1998,^[11][12] as well as the "Founder of a New Northwest Award" from the Pacific Rim Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils in 1999. He was named one of Utne Reader's "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World" in their November–December 2008 issue. In February 2010, Paul received the President's Award from the Society for Ecological Restoration: Northwest Chapter, in recognition of his contributions to Ecological Restoration. His work was featured in the documentary film The 11th Hour.^[13] He's also been featured in the eco-documentary films Dirt! The Movie^[14] and 2012: Time for Change.^[15]

In 2008, he delivered a TED talk: "Paul Stamets on 6 Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World".^[16]

In October 2011, he delivered a TEDMED talk: "Is the world ready for a Medical Mushroom Mystery Tour?"^[17]

On June 30, 2012, he received an honorary Doctorate of Science (D.Sc.) degree from the National University of Natural Medicine, Portland, Oregon.^[18]

In January 2014, he received an award for "Contributions to Amateur Mycology" from the North American Mycological Association.^[19]

On June 10, 2014, Stamets was honored as an Invention Ambassador by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).^[20]

On July 15, 2015, Stamets became the first-ever recipient of the Mycological Society of America's Gordon and Tina Wasson Award. Named after the late ethnomycologists, the award is intended “to recognize people with non-traditional academic backgrounds who have made outstanding contributions to the field of mycology, or who have widely transmitted significant scientific or aesthetic knowledge about fungi to the general public.”^[21]

Books

• Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World (2005, ISBN 1-58008-579-2)
• MycoMedicinals: An Informational Treatise on Mushrooms (1999, ISBN 0-9637971-9-0)
• Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World (1996, ISBN 0-89815-839-7)
• Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms (1996, ISBN 1-58008-175-4)
• Mushroom Cultivator, The (1983, ISBN 0-9610798-0-0)
• Psilocybe Mushrooms & Their Allies (1978), Homestead Book Company, ISBN 0-930180-03-8

In popular culture

Anthony Rapp's character on Star Trek: Discovery, Lieutenant Stamets, was named in honor of Paul (and is also a mycologist).

References

External links

• Stamets's Bio at Fungi Perfecti
• Official website of Host Defense, Olympia, Washington
• Paul Stamets at the Internet Movie Database
• Stamets' TED talk, Stamets' TED Talk from March 2008
• Stamets' 2011 talk at TEDMED
• Mushroom Power, Stamets' article for YES! Magazine from March 2003