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

Mycology Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans, including as a source for tinder, traditional medicine, food, and entheogen ...

and Mycotoxicology at the

Hebrew University The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; he, הַאוּנִיבֶרְסִיטָה הַעִבְרִית בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם) is a public research university based in Jerusalem, Israel. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Dr. Chaim Weiz ...

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

mycotoxin A mycotoxin (from the Greek μύκης , "fungus" and τοξίνη , "toxin") is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of kingdom Fungi and is capable of causing disease and death in both humans and other animals. The term 'mycotoxin' ...

s (

aflatoxin Aflatoxins are various poisonous carcinogens and mutagens that are produced by certain molds, particularly ''Aspergillus'' species. The fungi grow in soil, decaying vegetation and various staple foodstuffs and commodities such as hay, sweetcorn ...

trichothecene The trichothecenes are a large family of chemically related mycotoxins. They are produced by various species of ''Fusarium'', ''Myrothecium'', ''Trichoderma''/''Podostroma'', '' Trichothecium'', ''Cephalosporium'', '' Verticimonosporium'', and ''S ...

s, and other

toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849 ...

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 soil mi ...

mycotoxins in

cereal grain A cereal is any grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran. Cereal grain crops are grown in greater quantities and provide more food ...

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 the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...

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 funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

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) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

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 plant pathogens. They are also common allergens in humans, growing indoors and causing hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma. They ...

, 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'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

. ''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 Willey & Sons, New York, Chichester, Brisbane, Totonto, Singapore. {{DEFAULTSORT:Joffe, Abraham Z 1909 births 2000 deaths Israeli biologists Mycologists 20th-century biologists