Upcoming Inaugural Lecture by ERA Chair Prof. Yrjö Eero Helariutta

The TreeBioTEC project is pleased to announce the upcoming inaugural lecture of ERA Chair Prof. Yrjö Eero Helariutta, a leading figure in plant developmental biology worldwide. The lecture will take place on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 at 16:15 in the University of Tartu Assembly Hall (Ülikooli 18).
Full details are available in the official University of Tartu announcement:
https://ut.ee/en/news/professor-yrjo-helariutta-presents-potential-tree-biology-dendroengineering-his-inaugural.

Titled “From Tree Biology to Dendroengineering”, the lecture will introduce Prof. Helariutta’s scientific vision and highlight the research directions that underpin the TreeBioTEC project’s mission. The event is organised by the University of Tartu and will be held in English. A live stream will be available via UTTV for wider audiences.

Forests play a central planetary role in carbon sequestration, especially in temperate and boreal regions. In his inaugural lecture, Prof. Helariutta will outline molecular-level approaches for understanding and enhancing the carbon sink capacity of trees — knowledge essential for advancing dendroengineering and supporting climate mitigation efforts. His research group has pioneered work on phloem morphogenesis, vascular stem cell function, and the translation of genome-wide tools from laboratory model plants to forest tree species.

As the ERA Chair Holder within the TreeBioTEC project, Prof. Helariutta contributes to establishing a new research group in molecular dendroengineering at the Institute of Bioengineering, University of Tartu. His long-standing experience spans the University of Helsinki, New York University, the University of Cambridge, and the Centre of Excellence in Tree Biology in Finland.

The inaugural lecture marks an important scientific and institutional milestone for the TreeBioTEC project and the University of Tartu. All interested attendees are warmly welcome.