MTU Plant Biotechnology Research Center

The Plant Biotechnology Research Center is located in the Institute of Wood Research, which is currently a leader in lignin biotechnology. They are working on the genetic engineering of lignin biosynthesis in softwood and hardwood trees to alter the lignin structure as well as to reduce the lignin content in economically important pulpwood species. Several woody plant transformation and tissue culture regeneration systems have been established for commercially important species including aspen, Eucalyptus, sweetgum, and acacia.