Abraham Z. Joffe (; 1909–2000) was Professor of

Mycology Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, fungi, including their Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, genetics, biochemistry, biochemical properties, and ethnomycology, use by humans. Fungi can be a source of tinder, Edible ...

and

Mycotoxicology Mycotoxicology is the branch of mycology that focuses on analyzing and studying the toxins produced by fungi, known as mycotoxins.Bennett, J. W. 1987. Mycotoxins, mycotoxicoses, mycotoxicology and mycopathology. Mycopathlogia 100:3-5. In the food ...

at the

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. It is the second-ol ...

, Jerusalem. Joffe's professional interests were centered primarily in toxigenic fungi associated with production of

mycotoxin A mycotoxin (from the Greek μύκης , "fungus" and τοξικός , "poisonous") is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by fungi and is capable of causing disease and death in both humans and other animals. The term 'mycotoxin' is usually rese ...

s (

aflatoxin Aflatoxins are various toxicity, poisonous carcinogens and mutagens that are produced by certain Mold (fungus), molds, especially ''Aspergillus'' species such as ''Aspergillus flavus'' and ''Aspergillus parasiticus''. According to the USDA, "The ...

trichothecene Trichothecenes constitute a large group of chemically related mycotoxins. They are produced by Fungus, fungi of the genera ''Fusarium'', ''Myrothecium'', ''Trichoderma'', ''Podostroma'', ''Trichothecium'', ''Cephalosporium'', ', ''Stachybotrys'' ...

s, and other

toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. They occur especially as proteins, often conjugated. The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), derived ...

s); ecology and environmental factors favoring formation and distribution of

Fusarium ''Fusarium'' (; ) is a large genus of filamentous fungi, part of a group often referred to as hyphomycetes, widely distributed in soil and associated with plants. Most species are harmless saprobes, and are relatively abundant members of the s ...

mycotoxins in

cereal grain A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize (Corn). Edible grains from other plant families, suc ...

s, feeds and foods; and

phytotoxic Phytotoxins are substances that are poisonous or toxic to the growth of plants. Phytotoxic substances may result from human activity, as with herbicides, or they may be produced by plants, by microorganisms, or by naturally occurring chemical react ...

action of

strains, and their toxicity in animals and humans. Joffe is the author of over 130 scientific papers, reviews and monographs. He was a member of several professional associations, a participant in numerous International Conferences and Symposia, and holds two Certificates of Merit from the

U.S. Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and production ...

and the Ministry of Health of the USSR. Joffe received his PhD in Mycology and Mycotoxicology at the Institute of Botany, U.S.S.R Academy of Science in Leningrad (1950). He is a member of the Joffe family.

Bibliography

*Joffe A. Z. (1947a). The mycoflora of normal and overwintered cereals in 1943-1944. In Alimentary toxic aleukia. ''Acta Chkalov Inst Epidemiol. Microbiol. First Commun.'', 28-34, Orenburg, USSR. *Joffe A. Z. (1947b). The mycoflora of normal and overwintered cereals in 1944-1945. In Alimentary toxic aleukia. ''Acta Chkalov Inst Epidemiol. Microbiol. Second Commun.'', 35-42, Orenburg, USSR. *Joffe, A. Z. (1947c). The dynamics of toxin accumulation in overwintered cereals and their microflora in 1945-1946. In alimentary toxic aleukia.''Acta Chkalov Inst. Epidemiol. Microbiol.,'' p. 192, Orenburg. USSR (Abstr.). *Joffe, A. Z. (1947d). Biological properties of fungi isolated from overwintered cereals. In Alimentary toxic aleukia. ''Acta Chkalov Inst. Epidemiol. Microbiol.'', p. 192 Orenburg. USSR (Abstr.) *Joffe, A. Z. (1950). Toxicity of

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

on cereals overwintered in the field (on the etiology of alimentary toxic aleukia). Ph.D. dissertation, Institute of Botany, Academy of Science, Leningrad, USSR, p. 205. *Joffe, A. Z. (1955). The antibiotic effect of molds of the genera ''Fusarium'' and ''Penicillium'' on the ''

Tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

baccilus. Proc. Inst. Exp. Med. Sci. Lith.'' SSR 3, 61-67 *Joffe, A. Z. (1956a). The etiology of alimentary toxic aleukia. In ''Conference on Mycotoxicoses in Human and Agricultural Animals''. Kiev: Publ. Acad. Sci., pp. 36–38 *Joffe, A. Z. (1956b). The influence of overwintering on the antibiotic activity of several molds of the genus ''Cladosporium,

Alternaria ''Alternaria'' is a genus of Deuteromycetes fungi. All species are known as major Phytopathology, plant pathogens. They are also common allergens in humans, growing indoors and causing hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead t ...

, Fusarium, Mucor, Thamnidium'' and ''Aspergillus. Acta Acad. Sci. Lith.'' SSR Ser. B 3, 85-95 *Joffe, A. Z. (1956c). The effect of environmental conditions on the antibiotic activity of some fungi of the genus ''Penicillium. Acta Acad. Sci. Lith.''SSR Ser. B, 4, 101-113. *Joffe, A. Z. (1960a). Toxicity and antibiotic properties of some ''Fusaria. Bull. Res. Counc. Isr.'' 8D,81-95. *Joffe, A. Z. (1960b). The mycoflora of overwintered cereals and its toxicity. ''Bull. Res. Counc. Isr.'' 9D, 101-126. *Joffe, A. Z. (1962a). Biological properties of some toxic fungi isolated from overwintered cereals. ''Mycopathol. Mycol. Appl.'' 16, 201-221. *Joffe, A. Z. (1962b). ''Fusarium'' root rot of

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

. ''Plant. Dis. Rep.'' 46, 203. *Joffe, A. Z. (1963a). Toxicity of overwintered cereals. ''Plant Soil'' 18, 31-44. *Joffe, A. Z. (1963b). The occurrence of ''Fusarium'' species in Israel. 2. Species of ''Fusarium'' of the section ''Elegans'' and a review of their taxonomy. ''Annls Inst. Natl. Agron. Contrib. Serv. Mycol.'' 57, 51-61. *Joffe, A. Z. (1963c). The mycoflora of continuously cropped soil in Israel with special reference to effects of manurizing and fertilizing. ''Mycologia'' 55, 271-282. *Joffe, A. Z. (1963d). Effect of manuring and fertilizing on the mycoflora of heavy soil in a crop rotation trial in Israel. ''Soil Sci.'' 95, 353-355. *Joffe, A.Z. (1986) ''FUSARIUM'' SPECIES: THEIR BIOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY. John Wiley & Sons, New York, Chichester, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joffe, Abraham Z 1909 births 2000 deaths Israeli biologists Soviet mycologists 20th-century biologists