We are concentrating our research efforts on stress signalling in the plant cell under hypoxia or anoxia, i.e. under low oxygen concentration or under total lack of oxygen. This stress leads to changes in cellular behaviour which result in either adaptation to the environment or to cell death. In our xylem and lignin related projects we study lignin biosynthesis in developing woody tissue of Norway spruce and Silver birch, both of which are economically important trees in Finland.