Plants are central to life on this planet. They produce the oxygen we breathe, are the main source of our nutrition along with fibre and bioenergy. Plants are also a rich source of pharmaceutical and other novel products.
The rapidly increasing demand of food and fibre together with the requirement for sustainable energy such as biofuels requires extensive research and training of experts in different areas of plant sciences.
A doctoral degree in the DPPS comprises a doctoral thesis and 40 credits of doctoral studies. The studies are divided into scientific content and transferable skills studies.
Part of the studies can be completed flexibly by presenting your research at scientific conferences, teaching, supervising/mentoring others, writing popular articles and attending relevant seminars.
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The programme organises scientific content courses under four different themes, an annual symposium on 'hot topics' as well as a seminar series where you can present your research to your peers. You can also complete doctoral-level courses from other Finnish Universities, as well as from international Universities and research institutes.
Courses in research ethics and transferable skills are offered throughout the academic year by the Doctoral School in Environmental, Food and Biological Sciences (YEB).
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The DPPS get-together / annual meeting is organised off campus at the end of the spring term. The event is aimed at doctoral researchers, supervisors and alumni.
Research visits to other Universities and international institutes are organised at the beginning of the autumn term. Priority is given to DPPS members who are nearing the end of their thesis work, in order to make important contacts for possible future careers. Previous visits: 2019 - Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent, Belgium; 2018 - Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany; 2017: Umeå Plant Science Centre, Umeå, Sweden.
DPPS Cafés are organised approximately once a month for all DPPS researchers to discuss with their peers topics related to studies and research.
DPPS members have the chance to participate in writing retreats at the various University of Helsinki biological stations. Articles, book chapters, review articles and other text can be written over a few days of concentrated writing.
Plant Club seminars are held once a month for the Viikki Plants community. Talks are given by doctoral researchers and post-doctoral researchers.
Seminars are organised as hybrid events with attendance possible either in person or online via Zoom.
Credits:
10 attendances = 1 ECTS
20 attendances = 2 ECTS
Presentation = 1 ECTS
Plant Club maximum credits = 3 ECTS
Contact Karen Sims-Huopaniemi at the DPPS office to have your credits awarded.
Program Autumn 2024
9th October
13th November
11th December
Program Spring 2025
15th January
12th February
12th March
16th April
14th May
The Viikki Plant Science Centre (ViPS) is a virtual research environment on the Viikki campus of the University of Helsinki. More than 315 researchers from 54 different research groups are part of the centre.
ViPS Invited Seminars are held once a month, one hour before the Plant Club seminars. Each international speaker is hosted by a different PI from the Viikki campus. Research topics cover all the various research disciplines of the DPPS.
73) Munan Lyu (19th September)
Supervisor: Ari Pekka Mähönen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
72) Maitry Paul (25th April)
Supervisor:Alan Schulman
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
71) Javier Andrés (28th March)
Supervisors:Timo Hytönen & Elli Koskela
Plant breeder, Deltacactus, Spain
70) Sakari Välimäki (29th November)
Supervisors:Tuija Aronen & Ari Pekka Mähönen
Researcher, Natural Resources Institute, Finland
69) Twinkle Solanki (31st October)
Supervisors: Matthew Robson, Jon Atherton, Anu Heikkilä
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
68) Noemí Gutiérrez Valdés (31st May)
Supervisors: Anneli Ritala & Jussi Joensuu
Research scientist, Lumene Group
67) Chang Su (10th May)
Supervisors: Ykä Helariutta & Kaisa Nieminen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Wageningen, The Netherlands
66) Riikka Mäkilä (8th December)
Supervisor: Ari-Pekka Mähönen
Post-doctoral researcher, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam, Germany
65) Salla Tenhovirta (1st December)
Supervisors: Mari Pihlatie, Lukas Kohl & Markku Koskinen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
64) Katariina Vuorinen (18th August)
Supervisors: Mikael Brosché & Kirk Overmyer
Testing engineer, Trimble Inc., Finland
63) Pezhman Baran (1st June)
Supervisors: Anna-Liisa Laine & Jarkko Salojärvi
Data analyst, MedEngine, Finland
62) Bahram Peivastegan (31st March)
Supervisor: Minna Pirhonen
61) Sanna Ehonen (17th March)
Supervisors: Jaakko Kangasjärvi & Teemu Hölttä
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
60) David Israel (27th January)
Supervisor: Matt Robson
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
59) Mengxia Liu (19 August)
Supervisor: Fred Asiegbu
Lecturer, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China
58) Chi-Chuan Chen (18 August)
Supervisor: Jaakko Hyvönen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Turku
57) Lingping Zhu (6 May)
Lecturer, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China
56) Xin Wang (18 March)
Supervisor: Ari-Pekka Mähönen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
55) Margaretta Christita (4 February)
Supervisors: Kirk Overmyer & Kaisa Nieminen
Senior researcher, National Research and Innovation Agency/BRIN, Indonesia
54) Saara Hartikainen (26 October)
Supervisor: Matt Robson
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
53) Teng Zhang (20 August)
Supervisors: Paula Elomaa & Teemu Teeri
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki
52) Hanna Haikka (23 April)
Supervisors: Outi Manninen & Teemu Teeri
Plant Breeder, Boreal Plant Breeding Ltd.
51) Yan Yan (5 February)
Supervisors: Pedro Aphalo, Fred Stoddard & Victor Sadras
Software Engineer, Hansen Technologies, Finland
50) Eija Virolainen-Arne (3 December)
Supervisor: Kurt Fagerstedt
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
49) Shreya Saha (20 November)
Supervisor: Kristiina Mäkinen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Cambridge, UK
48) Neha Rai (17 November)
Supervisors: Pedro Aphalo, Tarja Lehto & Luis Morales
Research scientist, Greenlux Lighting Solutions Ltd.
47) Satu Ruokolainen (22 October)
Supervisors: Teemu Teeri & Paula Elomaa
Sales manager, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Finland
46) Juan Alonso Serra (27 August)
Supervisors: Ykä Helariutta & Kaisa Nieminen
Postdoctoral researcher, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, France
45) Fang Wang (11th June)
Supervisors: Pedro Aphalo & Matt Robson
Research coordinator, Aalto University, Finland
44) Craig Brelsford (4th June)
Supervisor: Matt Robson
Lecturer in Horticultural Technology, Hämeen Ammattikorkeakoulu, Finland
43) Nashmin Ebrahimi (29th May)
Supervisor: Mervi Seppänen
Research scientist, ProFarm Technologies Ltd., Finland
42) Linping Wang (26th May)
Supervisor: Jari Valkonen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
41) Kerri Hunter (13th December)
Supervisor: Michael Wrzaczek
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
40) Kai Wang (29th November)
Supervisor: Kirk Overmyer
Lecturer, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China
39) Mukrimin (31st October)
Supervisor: Fred Asiegbu
Lecturer, Hasanuddin University, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
38) Yu Sun (11th October)
Supervisor: Xiaolan He
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
37) Mirko Pavicic (2nd October)
Supervisor: Kristiina Himanen
Post-doctoral researcher, Oakridge National Laboratory, Tennessee, USA
36) Aleksia Vaattovaara (28th June) Awarded the best PhD thesis prize of 2019!
Supervisors: Michael Wrzaczek & Jarkko Salojärvi
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
35) Friederike Gehrmann (17th May)
Supervisors: Heikki Hänninen & Timo Saarinen
Managing Editor, Nordic Journal of Botany, Lund, Sweden
34) Maria Kalliola (10th May)
Supervisor: Mikael Brosché
Senior Officer, Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency
33) Ali Amiryousefi (19th March)
Supervisors: Jaakko Hyvönen & Péter Poczai
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
32) Swarnalok De (17th January)
Supervisor: Kristiina Mäkinen
Post-doctoral researcher, Aalto University, Finland
31) Yafei Zhao (9th January)
Supervisors: Paula Elomaa & Teemu Teeri
Visiting researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
30) Samia Samad (10th August)
Supervisor: Timo Hytönen
Research scientist, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Russia
29) Juha Immanen (18th June)
Supervisor: Ykä Helariutta
Research scientist, Natural Resources Institute, Finland
28) Elina Kettunen (4th May)
Supervisor: Jouko Rikkinen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
27) Tanja Paasela (15th December) Awarded the best PhD thesis prize of 2017!
Supervisor: Teemu Teeri
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
26) Mikko Piirainen (13th December)
Supervisor: Pertti Uotila
Research scientist, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Finland
25) Marja Rantanen (15th September)
Supervisors: Timo Hytönen, Pauliina Palonen & Paula Elomaa
Research scientist, Natural Resources Institute, Finland
24) Kean-Jin Lim (25th August)
Supervisor: Teemu Teeri
Associate professor, Zhejiang A&F University, China
23) Pär Davidsson (30th June)
Supervisor: Tapio Palva
Senior researcher, Hushållningssällskapet, Sweden
22) Mantas Survila (28th April)
Supervisors: Tapio Palva & Pekka Heino
Research Scientist, Lexogen GmbH, Austria
21) Juha Kontturi (10th February)
Supervisor: Teemu Teeri
Quality control scientist, Nanoform, Finland
20) Lauri Reuter (9th December)
Supervisors: Anneli Ritala, Jussi Joensuu & Teemu Teeri
Founder & Partner, Nordic FoodTech VC, Finland
19) Viacheslav Spirin (11th November)
Supervisors: Tuomo Niemelä, Otto Miettinen
Research scientist, Finnish Museum of Natural History, Finland
18) Hannu Hotti (14th October)
Supervisors: Heiko Rischer, Kirsi-Marja Oksman-Caldentey & Teemu Teeri
Grant writer (research funding), University of Turku, Finland
17) Elli Koskela (2nd September) Awarded the best PhD thesis prize of 2016!
Supervisors: Timo Hytönen & Paula Elomaa
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
16) Sedeer El-Showk (30th May)
Supervisor: Ykä Helariutta
Freelance journalist for Nature Communications
15) Hanna Help-Rinta-Rahko (22nd April)
Supervisor: Ykä Helariutta
Researcher, Finnish Food Authority
14) Hany El Sayed Bashandy (23rd January)
Supervisor: Teemu Teeri
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
13) Niina Idänheimo (18th December)
Supervisors: Jaakko Kangasjärvi & Michael Wrzaczek
Post-doctoral researcher, Aalto University, Finland
12) Susanna Keriö (11th December)
Supervisor: Fred Asiegbu
Assistant Agricultural Scientist, Connecticut Agricultural Experment Station, New Haven, USA
11) Venla Jokela (27th November)
Supervisor: Mervi Seppänen
Account manager, Eurofins Viljavuuspalvelu Oy (agro soil testing laboratory), Finland
10) Linda Garlant (1st October)
Supervisor: Minna Pirhonen
Research assistant, Scientific Institute of Public Health, Belgium
9) Enjun Xu (12th June)
Supervisor: Mikael Brosché
Assistant Professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
8) Mehmet Ali Keçeli (8th May)
Supervisors: Tapio Palva & Gunter Brader
Plant Pathologist at MAY Agro Seed Company, Turkey
7) Ulla Holopainen-Mantila (20th March)
Supervisors: Kurt Fagerstedt, Annika Wilhelmson
Research scientist, VTT, Finland
6) Martin Broberg (20th March)
Supervisors: Tapio Palva, Minna Pirhonen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland
5) Fuqiang Cui (16th December)
Supervisor: Kirk Overmyer
Associate Professor at the Zhejiang A& F University, China
4) Emad Jaber (31st October)
Supervisor: Fred Asiegbu
Scientific Advisory Consultant, HelsinCo, Helsinki, Finland
3) Hamid Khazaei (26th September)
Supervisor: Fred Stoddard
Associate Professor, Natural Resources Institute Finland
2) Oswalt R. Jiménez (26th June)
Supervisor: Helena Korpelainen
Researcher, Nicaragua
1) Kati Mouhu (10th January)
Supervisors: Paula Elomaa, Timo Hytönen
Post-doctoral researcher, University of Helsinki, Finland