Scientists studied a medicinal fungus called Phylloporia pulla to understand which health-promoting compounds it produces and how it makes them. Using advanced genetic and chemical analysis tools, they discovered the fungus produces beneficial compounds like steroids and triterpenoids that have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, with production peaking around the middle of the fungus’s growth cycle. They identified six key genes that control the production of celastrol, a particularly valuable compound with potential to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. This research helps explain why this fungus has been used traditionally in medicine and provides guidance for growing it to maximize production of these beneficial compounds.