PhD, docent, Finnish Academy research fellow, Group leader in Viikki Biocenter Research Organisation
Department of Applied Biosciences, P. O. Box 27, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
Tel: +358 9 191 58594, Fax: +358 9 191 58727
My research is targeted at aspects of development and function of mycorrhizas and mycorrhizospheres. Functions of mycorrhizospheres, particularly external mycelium, in nutrient release, uptake and translocation have been my long term interests. The emphasis in the cell biological studies has been placed on cytoskeletal dynamics of the host plants and fungi during endo- and ectomycorrhizal development.
Another major research theme is to get basic information of the types and functions of bacterial and archaeal populations associating with different parts of boreal forest tree mycorrhizospheres. A more applied aspect of the bacterial work has in the past been the collaborative work done on the biodegradative activity of both indigenous and inoculated bacteria on oil pollutants. I have also been taking part in projects studying population ecology of mycorrhizal fungi in boreal forest and nursery ecosystems.
Currently I am the senior researcher in the Mycorrhizal interactions group studying mycorrhizosphere functions and interactions. Ongoing projects are described in more detail below. The tools used in the projects range from traditional isolation techniques and simple microscopy to the latest molecular methods.
Ongoing projects:
Archaea in the mycorrhizospheres of boreal forest trees
Beneficial microorganisms of urban trees
Biodiversity and functioning of mycorrhizosphere associated bacteria
Cytoskeleton of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and plants
Spatial N-cycling enzyme activities in Scots pine mycorrhizospheres
Collaboration in other projects:
Effects of forest clear-cutting on mycorrhiza diversity and functioning
Expression of genes involved in N-cycling in ectomycorrhizal fungus Suillus bovinus
Interbiotic processes in GM-forest trees
Funding:
Academy of Finland
Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation
National Technology Agency (TEKES)
University of Adelaide
University of Helsinki