Enabling bio and circular economy
The Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems (Bio2) is at the forefront of forest products technologies and cutting-edge biotechnology.
Ultimately, the activities in Bio2 result in innovative products and solutions for applications ranging from construction and textiles to biomaterials, energy and biomedicine.
Department management
Research
The research in the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems focuses on products derived from nature through green chemistry or biotechnological methods. Our department’s core competencies include synthetic biology, biochemical and biotechnical processing, the chemistry of lignocellulosic materials, pre-treatment and fractionation of biomass, downstream unit operations as well as the characterization and analysis of materials.
BIO2 is internationally recognised for its multidisciplinary engineering education development in digitalised and online learning environments.
Professors
Biobased Colloids and Materials (BiCMat)
Group led by Professor Orlando Rojas
Biobased Materials Technology
Group led by Professor Thaddeus Maloney
Biochemistry
Group led by Professor Silvan Scheller
Biohybrid Materials
Group led by Professor Mauri Kostiainen
Biological Engineered Living Materials
Group led by Professor Rahul Mangayil
Biomolecular materials
Group led by Professor Markus Linder
Biopolymer Chemistry and Engineering
Group led by Professor Michael Hummel
Bioproduct Chemistry
Group led by Professor Monika Österberg
Bioproduct Technology
Group led by Professor Juha Lipponen
Clean Technologies
Group led by Professor Olli Dahl
Enzyme Technology
Group led by Professor Miia Mäkelä
Lignocellulose chemistry
Group led by Professor Tiina Nypelö
Materials Chemistry of Cellulose
Group led by Professor Eero Kontturi
Microbial Physiology
Group led by professor Paula Jouhten.
Paper Converting and Packaging
Group led by Professor Jouni Paltakari
Protein Technology
Group led by Professor Emma Master
Sustainable Bioproducts Innovation
Group led by Professor Luana Dessbesell
Textile Chemistry
Group led by Professor Ali Tehrani
Wood Material Science
Group led by Professor Lauri Rautkari
Wood Material Technology
Group led by Professor Mark Hughes
Cellular engineering
Group led by Professor Sesilja Aranko
Research group leaders
Circular Biobased Materials
Led by Senior Scientist Bruno Mattos
Photoactive Organic Materials
Group led by Research Fellow Eduardo Anaya
Wood Extractives
Headed by Academy Research Fellow Jinze Dou
Emeritus research groups
Biorefineries
Group led by Emeritus Professor Herbert Sixta
Printing Technology
Group led by Emeritus Professor Patrick Gane
Wood Chemistry
Group led by Professor Tapani Vuorinen
Infrastructures
Research infrastructure
We develop local and global networks
AALTOLAB is a virtual laboratory safety training platform developed at Aalto University. AALTOLAB helps both students and staff to maintain high-level safety standards in our laboratories.
Collaboration
See all the Aalto CHEM collaboration projects here
Key Research Area: Materials and natural resources
Materials research ranges from physics, nanotechnology, mechanics, performance and design to biomaterials and sustainable resource use.
CHEMARTS website
Solution Architect for Global Bioeconomy and Cleantech Opportunities
FinnCERES
FinnCERES, competence center for materials bioeconomy, is a Flagship for our sustainable future.
Ioncell-F
Ioncell-F technology developed at Aalto University in collaboration with the University of Helsinki converts wood into textiles without any harmful chemicals.
Research cooperation
The Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems works collaboratively with strong partners from industry and academia.
ValueBioMat is a project funded by the Strategic Research Council (SRC) at the Academy of Finland.
Are you interested in studying at the School of Chemical Engineering? Here are our Bioproducts and Biosystems programmes:
- Aalto Bachelor's Programme in Science and Technology:
- Master's Programmes at the School of Chemical Engineering:
- Joint Master's Programmes:
- Joint international Master's Programmes:
See all our school's programmes
- Doctoral studies: Aalto Doctoral Programme in Chemical Engineering
Get to know us:
Luana Dessbesell aims to translate bioproducts research into commercial success
Professor Luana Dessbesell works on bridging the gap between academia and industry. Her research group Sustainable Bioproducts Innovation is a multidisciplinary group of people who seek to support the development and commercialization of new forest-based innovations.
Reflecting on research: insights from two professors
Two newly tenured Aalto professors talk about their research journeys
Paula Jouhten seeks to replace oil-based chemistry by controlling the physiology of microbial cells
Paula Jouhten, D.Sc., started her five-year fixed-term professorship at the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems at the beginning of 2022. Jouhten leads the Microbial Physiology research group at Aalto University.
Eero Kontturi: The most important skill for a researcher is the desire to read and write
Professor of Materials Chemistry of Cellulose relaxes by reading scientific articles and makes no distinction between work and free time.
Get to know us: Professor Olli Dahl
Saving the environment via businesses.
Get to know us: Associate Professor Michael Hummel
Michael Hummel had plans to stay in Finland for only a year or so. In the end, he enjoyed his work at Aalto so much that he decided to stay.
Nurturing the passion for research - Interviewing Associate Professor Ali Tehrani
Associate professor Ali Tehrani, who works at Aalto University's School of Chemical Engineering Bioproducts and Biosystems Department, has an impressive background in textile research already before joining Aalto. And he also enjoys guiding and supporting his students in their research and careers.
Revolutionising the bio-based industry
An interview of the new Professor of Practice Juha Lipponen from the School of Chemical Engineering.
News
Finnish forest industry is renewing through academic research and innovation
The FinnCERES Flagship is advancing long-term, high-impact research that drives innovation, economic growth, and societal development towards a sustainable bioeconomy.
Researchers create gel that can self-heal like human skin
Until now, artificial gels have either managed to replicate this high stiffness or natural skin’s self-healing properties, but not both. Now, a team of researchers from Aalto University and the University of Bayreuth are the first to develop a hydrogel with a unique structure that overcomes earlier limitations, opening the door to applications such as drug delivery, wound healing, soft robotics sensors and artificial skin.
Online course on Wood Mechanics starts 24.2.2025
Learn 100% online about the engineering potential of wood as a complex natural material.
A Flexible Biorefinery using Machine Learning
Biorefineries convert biomass, such as wood, annual plants or agricultural into products and energy. Research teams in Finland and Germany aim to maximize such product output for a more holistic valorization of our natural resources. The development of these new processes is often slow because they require optimization of many factors. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) can help us accelerate such a development drastically.Events
Public defence in Chemical Engineering, M. Sc. (Eng.) Iris Seitz
Building functional virus-(un)like nanostructures using DNA origami
Public defence in Bioproduct Chemistry, M.Sc. Ngoc Huynh
Plant-based hydrogels from CNFs and extracts like willow bark and Aloe vera offer sustainable, ethical alternatives to animal biomaterials.
Public defence in Materials Chemistry of Cellulose, M.Sc. Yingfeng Wang
The study explores HCl (g) hydrolysis as a pathway to produce nanocellulose and platform chemicals from biomass.Related videos
Where to find us
Vuorimiehentie 1
Aalto Bioproduct Centre
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