Chaetomium genus was established by Gustav Kunze in 1817. According to Index Fungorum Partnership, there are 273 Chaetomium species accepted till now. Members of the genus Chaetomium are capable of colonizing various substrates and are well-known for their ability to degrade cellulose and to produce a variety of bioactive metabolites. More than 200 compounds have been reported from this genus. A huge number of new and bioactive secondary metabolites associated with unique and diverse structural types, such as chaetoglobosins, epipolythiodioxopiperazines, azaphilones, depsidones, xanthones, anthraquinones, chromones, and steroids, have been isolated and identified. Many of the compounds have been reported to possess significant biological activities, such as antitumor, antimalarial, cytotoxic, enzyme inhibitory, antimicrobial, phytotoxic, antirheumatoid and other activities. Chaetomium taxa are frequently reported to be cellulase and ligninase producers with the ability to degrade cellulosic and woody materials. 

This is the first, comprehensive volume covering Chaetomium genus in detail. It includes the latest research, methods, and applications, and was written by scholars working directly in the field. The book also contains informative illustrations and is fully referenced for further reading.

Assistant Prof. Ahmed Abdel-Azeem is currently working as academic staff member for Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University and mycologist with particular interest in the ecology, taxonomy, biology, and conservation of fungi and his specialist interest is members of the phylum Ascomycota. His research includes isolation, identification and taxonomic assessments of these fungi with particular emphasis on those which produce bioactive materials from different ecological habitats. Most recently he has become interested in the effect of climate change on fungi. This in turn has led him to become involved in fungal conservation. He is a member of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Specialist Group for Cup Fungi, Truffles & their Allies, and also the Founder of the Arab Society for Fungal Conservation. In 2014 and 2016 Abdel-Azeem proposed a good candidate for celebration of Egypt's National Fungus Day on the 20th of February. Abdel-Azeem with the help of international societies, agencies and mycologists decreed the Egypt's National Fungus Day in Bibliotheca Alexandrina in the 20th of February 2016 for the first time. He got different grants, fellowships, national and international projects e.g. EOL fellowship in 2011, Mohamed Bin Zayed Species Conservation fund in 2014 and 2018, National Geographic Society Fund in 2016. In 2018 Abdel-Azeem was elected to be a member in the executive Committee of International Mycological Association (IMA) for the next 4 years. He was hired for his experience in taxonomy, ecology, biology, and conservation of fungi to study the fungi in ancient air of unveiled Cheops Solar Boat Project and fungi degraded ancient wood in Abydos Middle Cemetery Project. He studied the biodiversity of macrofungi in Romania, UK, US, Finland, Sweden, Italy, Greece, Puerto Rico and Malta. He is the editor in chief of Microbial Biosystems Journal (MBJ) and a reviewer in more than 7 international journals. Abdel-Azeem published more than 62 research papers journals, 7 book chapters in the books published by international publishers and five books.