Participants and teachers of the Wood Biology and Biotechnology course at Umeå Plant Science Centre (photo: Anna Shevtsova)
Wood and wooden material are accompanying us every day and the demand for wood-based products is increasing. How is this material formed and which factors determine its final features? A group of twenty international students was recently delving into these topics when they joined the NOVA course on Wood Biology and Biotechnology that was organised by SLU at UPSC. On both students and teachers, the course left an overall positive and impactful impression.
Ewa Mellerowicz, expert in wood biosynthesis and biotechnology, organised the course which was aimed at PhD students and researchers after their PhD who were interested in learning more about the field. It was an intensive week filled with lectures, seminars, practical trainings and social activities. The participants who came from all over Europe were amazed by the course content reaching from cellular processes, training in wood anatomy and bioinformatics to discussions on computer-based simulations of biomolecules and industrial application possibilities.
“Our objective was to cover a broad spectrum of topics that are fundamental for understanding wood formation and function and connect this knowledge with current developments in the field as well as future prospects,” says Ewa Mellerowicz, professor at SLU and group leader at UPSC. “I was lucky that so many of my colleagues volunteered to share their specific knowledge in this course and the engagement of the students was really great!”
The course participants were not only asked to listen to the lectures and participate in the practical trainings. They were also expected to read selected literature about the field before the course, present their own research project on a poster, take an active part in discussions and join social activities like for example a dinner after the poster presentation.
“Despite three years of experience in wood chemistry, this course has provided me with a clearer understanding of many aspects,” expressed PhD student Mateo Bello Villarino the course's significance in enhancing his understanding of wood chemistry and its potential impact on his future projects. He is in the final year of his PhD studies at Umeå University.
George Woodward, PhD student at the University of Helsinki, adds: “Inside my own PhD studies, I wouldn’t have received this level of intimate training in wood anatomy. This guidance was invaluable to my own research and interest. Understanding the industrial relevance of wood biology was truly insightful like for example the world of nanocellulose and its applications which was presented by Linn Berglund from Luleå University.”
It is not clear yet when the next Wood Biology and Biotechnology course will be organised but the overall positive feedback from the students highlights its importance for young researchers in the field.
“I hope we can arrange such a course again as it fills a knowledge gap that is currently not covered by any book,” says Hannele Tuominen, one of the teachers of the course. "It was a very intense but great week thanks to the excellent organisation of the course. To teach and discuss with such high motivated students is really fun.”
Text: Pratibha Kumari, Anne Honsel