Progress 07/01/24 to 02/14/25

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems:When we submitted our application in October 2021, our anticipated timeline projected the construction of our new facilities to be operational by May 2022. However, a series of unforeseen challenges - including hurricanes Fiona (2022) and Ernesto (2024), global supply chain disruptions, and prolonged local government permitting processes - have delayed construction by over two years. Specifically, delays were caused by coordination with agencies such as the Carolina Municipal Permits Office, the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, the Puerto Rico State Department, the Puerto Rico Land Authority, the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority, and LUMA Energy (the local electric company). Despite these obstacles, we remain committed to fulfilling the project's objectives. To mitigate delays, we initiated the project on October 4, 2024, using a makeshift home-laboratory setup in Principal Investigator Sebastián Sagardía's apartment kitchen. While this setup is far from ideal and presents challenges - such as maintaining sterile conditions for laboratory work and stable temperatures for incubation - it demonstrates our dedication to advancing the project under challenging circumstances. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next reporting period we will begin the substrate trial for the two species that we successfully expanded in steps one and two which started in October 2024. We will also do asecond round of mycelial expansion with a new set of petri dishes provided by Dr. Blanchette, who will mail us new, fully colonized petri dishesto minimize the posibility of contamination during transit. After successfully expandingmycelium for every species, we will complete the substrate trails. After the substrate trials, samples from each species will be sent to Dr. Rivas at LSU for chemical extraction, then extracts will be sent to Dr. Martinez-Montemayor for the in vitro tests against breast cancer.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Due to several setbacks outside our control, we have yet to be operating from the new laboratory, but decided to begin working on the proyect in October 4th 2024. In order to be proactive in fulfilling the project's objectives, we began the project using a makeshift home-laboratory setup in Sebastian Sagardia's apartment kitchen. While this setup is far from ideal a and presents challenges - such as maintaining sterile conditions for laboratory work and stable temperatures for incubation - it demonstrates our dedication to advancing the project under callenging circusmtances. During this time we expanded mycelium of all Ganoderma spp. (G. multiplicatum, G. subamboinense, G. martinicense, G. mexicanum, G. tuberculosum, G. amazonese, and the new undescribed species G. puertorricensis)from agar plates to first generation grain spawn (also called mother cultures). This is an important first step because since we are working with species that have not been commercially cultivated before, the cultures available are exclusively available in agar plates which are not a medium that is prepared for large scale inoculation of commercial crops; therefore, expanding mycelium sufficiently to innoculate different growth mediums in the substrate test is an essential first step of our investigation. It is important to note that some of the agar plates looked damaged during stransit and whre not fully colonized when they arrived from Dr. Blanchtte's laboratory. After thefirst step, mycelium must befuther expanded into second generation grain spawn, which will be used to inoculate substrate tests. We began this second step on December 19th 2024;however, there was contamination of that second expansion, and although they are still incubating,itseems that only G. martinicense and G. tuberculosum will be ready to begin substrate trials in February.

Publications

Progress 07/01/23 to 02/29/24

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems: When we submitted our application in october 2021, our target date for the construction of our new facilities had us operating by May 2022. However, hurricane Fiona, supply chain disruption, and local government bureaucracy - specifically the Carolina Municipal Permits Office, Puerto Rico Dpt of Agriculture, PR Department of State, PR Departamento de Vivienda, FIDA in the PR Land Authority- have delayed the construction for more than a year. Due to these setbacks, we have yet to begin the project. Since we have not started the project, we have not used any funds. We have been in contact with our program lead to notify the situation and inform of major developments regarding the delay. As of today, construction of our farm is underway, and we estimate that we will be able to begin the project onMarch 2024. Wewill be requesting a No Cost Extension in January2024. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We have not yet begun the project because the construction of our farm has been delayed due to extenuating circumstances ouside of our control.

Publications

Progress 07/01/22 to 06/30/23

Outputs
Target Audience: Nothing Reported Changes/Problems:When we submitted our application in october 2021, our target date for the construction of our new facilities had us operating by May 2022. However,hurricane Fiona, supply chain disruption, and local government regulations, have delayed the construction for more than a year. Due to these setbacks, we have yet to begin the project. Since we have not started the project, we have not used any funds. We have been in contact with our program lead to notify the situation and inform of major developments regarding thedelay. Currently, the projected start date is October 2023. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? When we submitted our application in october 2021, our target date for the construction of our new facilities had us operating by May 2022. However,hurricane Fiona, supply chain disruption, and local government regulations, have delayed the construction for more than a year. Due to these setbacks, we have yet to begin the project.

Publications