People often ask me where my love for medicinal mushrooms began. For me, it began in 1991 when I joined the National Research Centre (NRC) in Cairo, Egypt, as a Research Assistant. Whenever I hear the phrase “Love, Where It Began,” I think of those early days when a simple scientific question captured my imagination and ultimately shaped my life’s work: Can mushrooms help fight cancer? One of the first …
Ayman Memories
Football, Mushrooms, and a Dream That Kept Growing As the World Cup returns, I find myself traveling back nearly fifty years to a small living room in Egypt. As a child, we had a television with only two channels. There was no internet, no satellite television, and very little connection to the outside world. Yet every four years, the World Cup brought the world into our home. Watching those matches …
The photographs arrived quietly, the way memories often do. In them, a young girl (Althea Morchella) is crouched near the forest floor, holding freshly collected morels with a seriousness far beyond her years. There are no lab coats, no instruments, no data sheets. Just damp leaves filtered spring light, and a child learning how to look closely. They were sent to me by my friend Lisa Anderson, a healthcare professional …
In November 2023, I had the privilege of attending and speaking at a groundbreaking conference dedicated to exploring the medicinal properties of mushrooms. Held in Wiltshire, UK, and close to good rail links with London, the conference brought together scientists, researchers, health professionals, and enthusiasts alike, united by a common fascination with the healing potential of these humble fungi. Dr. Ayman Daba in the UK Unlocking Nature’s Pharmacy: …
When I was studying at the National Research Center in Cairo, I was instructed to study the medicinal value of mushrooms. This was in 1991 and my supervisor told the story of a small town in Japan in the 1970’s that seemed to be untouched by cancer. Researchers were perplexed and investigations pointed to two shiitake mushroom factories that emitted spores which the residents inhaled. These spores activated their resilient …
It all started when I watched the film “The Truffle Hunters.” The movie took me on a journey through a small Italian town, where a group of elderly men were on a quest to find the most elusive and rare truffles in the world. The film captured the beauty of the forest and the bond that the truffle hunters shared with their beloved dogs. I was amazed at the dedication …
In 2006, I was fortunate to receive a Fulbright scholarship that allowed me to spend half a year in the lab of the renowned mycologist, Dr. Tom Volk in Wisconsin. Despite the cold weather, I arrived early and was introduced to a whole new world of mushrooms by Tom, who also taught mycology to graduate students. Tom used pictures and songs to help me remember mushroom names. I didn’t fare …
During the 1970’s, I attended an English speaking school in Cairo. During that time, my generation enjoyed listening to a French singer named Mireille Mathieu, known for her iconic “coiffe mulet” or “mushroom hair” hairstyle, which features a short, layered cut with a longer section at the back of the head that is styled to resemble the shape of a mushroom. This hairstyle became popular in the 1960s and 1970s. …
1 Jun 1986: Socrates of Brazil lines up before the World Cup match against Spain at the Jalisco Stadium in Guadalajara, Mexico. Brazil won the match 1-0. Photo Credit: David Cannon/Allsport As a child growing up in Egypt, I was a big soccer fan and loved watching the Brazilian team play in the World Cup. One of my favorite players was Socrates, whom I admired greatly. Socrates was a …
Ayman Memories Archives - Mushroommedicineman