# Going fishing: how to get what you want from a fungal genetic screen

## TL;DR

This mini-review discusses how to design and analyze successful fungal genetic and chemical screens to avoid being a 'fishing expedition'.

## Contribution

The paper provides teaching insights and practical principles for conducting effective fungal genetic screens.

## Key findings

- Well-designed screens can lead to new discoveries and serve as strong starting points for scientific research.
- The setup and analysis of screens are crucial in determining their usefulness and avoiding common pitfalls.
- Recent fungal screens are highlighted as examples of successful approaches.

## Abstract

Five years ago, as I was starting my lab, I wrote about two functional genomic screens in fungi that had inspired me (mSphere 4:e00299-19, https://doi.org/10.1128/mSphere.00299-19). Now, I want to discuss some of the principles and questions that I ask myself and my students as we embark on our own screens. A good screen, whether it is a genetic or chemical screen, can be the starting point for new discovery and an excellent basis for the beginning of a scientific research project. However, screens are often criticized for being “fishing expeditions.” To stretch this metaphor to the extreme, this is because people are worried that we do not know how to fish, that we will come home without any fish, bring home the wrong fish, or not know what to do with a fish if we caught it. How you set up the screen and analyze the results determines whether the screen will be useful. In this mini-review, and in the spirit of teaching a scientist to fish, I will discuss recent excellent fungal genetic and chemical screens that illustrate some of the key aspects of a successful screen.