Doctoral theses

PhD degrees awarded to ViPS members:

2024

10th May
Su Chang: Shape of a tree : Strigolactones in the control of branching process 
PIs:Ykä Helariutta & Kaisa Nieminen

2023

8th December
Riikka Mäkilä: Hormonal regulation of vascular cambium stem cell niche
PI: Ari-Pekka Mähönen

1st December
Outi Niemi: Genetic Basis of Virulence in Plant-Pathogenic Pectobacterium
PIs: Tapio Palva & Pekka Heino

1st December
Salla Tenhovirta: Aerobic methane emissions from the shoots of Scots pine
PI: Mari Pihlatie

18th August
Katariina Vuorinen: Orchestrating Plant Defences in Response to Botrytis cinerea and Apoplastic ROS : Hormone Interactions, Transcriptional and Posttranscriptional Regulation
PIs: Mikael Brosché & Kirk Overmyer

9 June
Kenneth Peltokangas: Wood-derived soil amendments and their effects on soil fertility and greenhouse gas emissions from cultivated boreal soils
PIs: Mari Pihlatie, Jussi Heinonsalo & Kristiina Karhu

1 June
Pezhman Baran: Investigating plant resistance and infection patterns in a wild plant - Case study of Plantago lanceolata
PIs: Anna-Liisa Laine & Jarkko Salojärvi

28 April
Enni Väisänen: Monolignols and their transport during lignification in Norway spruce
PIs: Kurt Fagerstedt & Anna Happonen

21 April
Mina Kiani: Closing the phosphorus cycle by recycling lake sediments in agriculture
PI: Priit Tammeorg

17 March
Sanna Ehonen: Systemic signaling in plant gas exchange
PIs: Jaakko Kangasjärvi & Teemu Hölttä

23 February
Yu Tang: Unravelling (delta)13C signal in Scots pine trees for climate change and tree physiology studies
PI: Jaana Bäck

27 January
David Israel: The ecophysiology of plasma membrane aquaporins in Arabidopsis thaliana and Fagus sylvatica
PI: Matt Robson

2022

4 November
Zilan Wen: Heterobasidion pathogenesis: Impact of effectome and co-infection on disease development and host defenses
PI: Fred Asiegbu

9 September
Omid Safranov: Chaga Genome and Convergent Evolution of Betulinate Biosynthesis in Host (Betula pendula) and the Pathogen (Inonotus obliquus)
PIs: Jarkko Salojärvi & Kirk Overmyer

9 September
Man Hu: The growth and aboveground biomasses of Scots pine and Norway spruce in relation to tree structural regularities
PI: Annikki Mäkelä

2 September
Subin Kalu: Long-term effects of biochars as a soil amendment in boreal agricultural soils
PI: Priit Tammeorg

19 August
Mengxia Liu: Identification of molecular and chemical markers that correlate with conifer resistance against root and stem decay pathogens (Heterobasidion annosum s.l.)
PI: Fred Asiegbu

18 August
Chi-chuan Chen: On the phylogeny and diversity of the microsoroid ferns (Polypodiaceae)
PI: Jaakko Hyvönen

6 May
Lingping Zhu: Polyketide Reductases in Gerbera hybrida
PI: Teemu Teeri

18 March
Xin Wang: Genome editing and its use to study secondary growth in Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: Ari-Pekka Mähönen

18 February
Junko Sugano: Synergistic effect on wood degradation by interspecific interactions of white and brown rot fungi
PI: Fred Asiegbu

4 February
Margaretta Christita: Taphrina as model phytopathogenic yeasts infecting the model plant Arabidopsis and woody plant Betula pendula
PI: Kirk Overmyer

2021

26 October
Saara Hartikainen: Adjustment of optically measured leaf traits to patterns of solar spectral irradiance in plant taxa from high elevations and from forest understoreys
PI: Matt Robson

20 August
Teng Zhang: Developmental Patterning of Asteraceae Flower Heads
PIs: Paula Elomaa & Teemu Teeri

23 April
Hanna Haikka: Genomic prediction in practical breeding program: A case study in oat and barley
PI: Teemu Teeri

5 February
Yan Yan: Long-term exposure to solar blue and UV radiation in legumes: pre-acclimation to drought and accession-dependent responses in two successive generations
PIs: Pedro Aphalo & Fred Stoddard

2020

3rd December
Eija Virolainen-Arne: Plant oxygen deprivation stress and function of plant mitochondria under anoxia
PI: Kurt Fagerstedt

20th November
Shreya Saha: VPg-eIF(iso)4E interaction, coat protein production and virion formation in potato virus A infection
PI: Kristiina Mäkinen

17th November
Neha Rai: Perception of solar UV radiation and blue light by plants: Photoreceptors, transcriptome and environmental acclimation
PI: Pedro Aphalo

22nd October
Satu Ruokolainen: The MADS world of floral regulators in Gerbera hybrida
PIs: Teemu Teeri & Paula Elomaa

24th September
Eeva Marttinen: Pathogens of green roof mosses and the use of a Physcomitrella mutant collection as a source for elucidating genes involved in the chitosan-induced signaling pathway
PI: Jari Valkonen

11th September
Åsa Stam: Growth and resilience of non-vascular epiphytes in the Taita Hills, Kenya
PI: Joukko Rikkinen

4th September
Teemu Paljakka: Tree water transport mediating the changing environmental conditions to tree physiological processes
PI: Teemu Hölttä

27th August
Juan Alonso Serra: Molecular and mechanical control of plant secondary development
PI: Ykä Helariutta

16th June
Marta Pieristè: Light after death: the importance of spectral composition in litter decomposition processes
PI: Matt Robson

11th June
Fang Wang: A Spatio-Temporal Understanding of the Arabidopsis Root Development
PI: Pedro Aphalo

9th June
Janne Korhonen: Nitrogen cycling from the perspective of boreal Scots pine trees
PIs: Mari Pihlatie & Timo Vesala

4th June
Craig Brelsford: Light quality affects leaf pigments and leaf phenology
PI: Matt Robson

29th May
Nashmin Ebrahimi: Selenium biofortification in crops and its cycling in the agroecosystem
PI: Mervi Seppänen

26th May
Linping Wang: Identification of chemical inhibitors for RNase III of Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV)
PI: Jari Valkonen

6th May
Long Xie: Identification of chemical inhibitors for RNase III of Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV)
PI: Jari Valkonen

7th February
Jungok Heo: A Spatio-Temporal Understanding of the Arabidopsis Root Development
PI: Ykä Helariutta

2019

13th December
Kerri Hunter: The cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase CRK2 during stress responses in Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: Michael Wrzaczek

29th November
Kai Wang: Protomyces Comparative Genomics and Modulation of Arabidopsis Immunity
PI: Kirk Overmyer

31st October
Mukrimin Mukrimin: Heterobasidion – conifer pathosystem: Host mycobiome and evaluation of potential resistance markers
PI: Fred Asiegbu

25th October
Kiflemariam Belachew: Root and shoot traits associated with acidity and drought tolerance in Vicia faba L. plants
PI: Fred Stoddard

17th October
Jinhui Wang: Genomics and transcriptomics of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ and its interaction with its host plant Daucus carota subsp. sativus
PI: Minna Pirhonen

2nd October
Mirko Pavicic: Multifaceted roles of RING-type ubiquitin E3 ligases : reverse phenomic approaches
PI: Kristiina Himanen

27th September
Elisa Vainio: The contributions of soil, ground vegetation and trees to the methane exchange of boreal forest
PI: Mari Pihlatie

28th June
Aleksia Vaattovaara: Evolution of the DUF26-containing proteins in plants
PIs: Michael Wrzaczek & Jarkko Salojärvi

14th June
Zhen Zeng: Genome, transcriptome, and methylome in the conifer pathogen Heterobasidion parviporum
PI: Fred Asiegbu

7th June
Iris Sevilem: The integration of developmental signals during root procambial patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: Ykä Helariutta

24th May
Mari Mäki: Volatile organic compound fluxes from northern forest soils
PIs: Jaana Bäck & Jussi Heinonsalo

10th May
Maria Kalliola: Phytohormone-related crosstalk in pathogen and stomatal responses in Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: Mikael Brosché

19th March
Ali Amiryousefi: Chloroinformatics
PI: Jaakko Hyvönen

17th January
Swarnalok De: Interactions of potyviral protein HCpro with host metionin cycle enzymes and scaffolding proteins viracose in potato virus A infection
PI: Kristiina Mäkinen

9th January
Yafei Zhao: Functional characterization of transcription factor LEAFY in Gerbera hybrida
PIs: Paula Elomaa & Teemu Teeri

2018

10th August
Samia Samad: Regulation of vegetative and generative reproduction in the woodland strawberry
PI: Timo Hytönen

18th June
Juha Immanen: Cytokinin signaling in hybrid aspen cambial development and growth
PI: Ykä Helariutta

4th May
Elina Kettunen: Diversity and evolution of dark filamentous microfungi on plant exudates
PI: Jouko Rikkinen

4th May
Anni Vanhatalo: Long-term dynamics of BVOC production, storage and emission in boreal Scots pine
PI: Jaana Bäck

9th March
Beñat Olascoaga: Leaf optical properties and dynamics of photosynthetic activity
PI: Albert Porcar-Castell

2017

15th December
Tanja Paasela: The stilbene biosynthetic pathway and its regulation in Scots pine
PI: Teemu Teeri

15th September
Marja Rantanen: Light and temperature as developmental signals in woodland strawberry and red raspberry
PIs: Timo Hytönen, Paulina Palonen & Paula Elomaa

25th August
Kean-Jin Lim: Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) heartwood formation and wounding stress: A view from the transcriptome
PI: Teemu Teeri

30th June
Pär Davidsson: Oligogalacturonide signalling in plant innate immunity
PI: Tapio Palva

28th April
Mantas Survila: Immune Responses to Pathogen Infection in Arabidopsis
PI: Tapio Palva

21st April
Lauri Lindfors: Low apoplastic water potential in trees - dehydration stress on living cells and embolism in xylem
PI: Teemu Hölttä

21st April
Clara Lizarazo: Diversifying Boreal - Nemoral cropping systems for sustainable protein production
PI: Fred Stoddard

10th February
Juha Kontturi: Type III polyketidesynthases from Gerbera hybrida
PI: Teemu Teeri

2016

18th November
Andres Lõhmus: Helper component-proteinase and coat protein are involved in the molecular processes of Potato virus A translation and replication
PI: Kristiina Mäkinen

17th November
Anu Riikonen: Some ecosystem service aspects of young street tree plantings
PI: Paula Elomaa

4th November
Tommy Chan: Dynamic variations in bark hydraulics – understanding whole tree processes and its linkage to bark hydraulic function and structure
PI: Jaana Bäck

14th October
Hannu Hotti: The killer of Socrates exposed – Coniine in the plant kingdom
PI: Teemu Teeri

23rd September
Lauri Vaahtera: Apoplastic ROS and transcriptional response in plant stress signaling
PI: Mikael Brosché

2nd September
Elli Koskela: Genetic and environmental control of flowering in wild and cultivated strawberries
PIs: Timo Hytönen & Paula Elomaa

17th June
Riccardo Siligato: Hormonal regulation of primary and secondary growth in the root of Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: AP Mähönen

14th June
Jane Besong: Molecular insights into a putative potyvirus RNA encapsidation pathway and potyvirus particles as enzyme nano-carriers
PI: Kristiina Mäkinen

30th May
Sedeer El-Showk: Auxin and cytokinin interactions regulate primary vascular patterning during root development in Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: Ykä Helariutta

22nd April
Hanna Help-Rinta-Rahko: The interaction of auxin and cytokinin signalling regulates primary root procambial patterning, xylem cell fate and differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana
PI: Ykä Helariutta

23rd January
Hany El-Sayed Bashandy: Flavonoid metabolomics in Gerbera hybrida and elucidation of complexity in the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway
PI: Teemu Teeri

15th January
Abbot Oghenekaro: Molecular analysis of the interaction between white rot pathogen (Rigidoporus microporus) and rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis)
PI: Fred Asiegbu

2015

18th December
Niina Idänheimo: The Role of Cysteine-rich Receptor-like Protein Kinases in ROS Signalling in Arabidopsis thaliana
PIs: Michi Wrzaczek & Jaakko Kangasjärvi

11th December
Susanna Keriö: Terpene analysis and transcript profiling of the conifer response to Heterobasidion annosum s.l. infection and Hylobius abietis feeding
PI: Fred Asiegbu

10th December
Juho Aalto: Seasonal and spatial variation of VOC emission from boreal Scots pine forest
PI: Jaana Bäck

27th November
Venla Jokela: Regulation of flowering and canopy structure in timothy (Phleum pratense L.)
PI: Mervi Seppänen

6th November
Hongxin Chen: Heterobasidion annosum pathogenesis: Bioinformatic and functional study of cerato-platanin family proteins
PI: Fred Asiegbu

7th October
Nicolas Detry: In Silico Genomics of Fungal Oxidoreductase Genes
PI: Fred Asiegbu

1st October
Linda Garlant: Ecology and genomics of Dickeya solani, a new soft rot bacterium infecting potatoes
PI: Minna Pirhonen

4th September
Eeva Terhonen: Environmental Impact of Using Phlebiopsis gigantea in Stump Treatment Against Heterobasidion annosum sensu lato and Screening Root Endophytes to Identify Other Novel Control Agents
PI: Fred Asiegbu

15th June
Milton Untiveros Lazaro: Molecular variability, genetic relatedness and a novel open reading frame (pispo) of sweet potato-infecting potyviruses
PI: Jari Valkonen

12th June
Enjun Xu: Interaction between Hormone and Apoplastic ROS Signaling in Regulation of Defense Responses and Cell Death
PI: MIkael Brosché

8th May
Mehmet Keceli: Crosstalk in Plant Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses
PI: Tapio Palva

20th March
Martin Broberg: Genetic profiling of the interactions between soft rot Pectobacterium species and plants
PI: Tapio Palva

20th March
Ulla Holopainen: Composition and structure of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grain in relation to end uses
PI: Kurt Fagerstedt