Centre for Forest Biology

C. Peter Constabel, BSc (Sask), MSc (UBC), PhD (Montreal), Department of Biology, Director

Scientists in the Centre for Forest Biology carry out fundamental and applied research and train graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in Forest Biology, emphasizing the adaptation of trees and their interactions with the environment. Faculty members collaborate and work in close association with scientists from Forestry Canada at the Pacific Forestry Centre (PFC) and the Provincial Government Research Branch. Also, associations with the forest industry and forest industry laboratories are maintained in order to ensure maximum technology transfer. The knowledge generated is disseminated through scientific publications, conferences, lectures and through the diverse academic courses offered by the Centre.

Research topics which can be pursued under the auspices of this Centre include: conifer embryogenesis; plant stress physiology; plant and fungal molecular biology; functional genomics of plant natural product metabolism; plant biochemistry and plant-pest interactions; microbial ecology; and carbon sequestration by forests and soils.

Cooperating University departments are: Biology and Biochemistry and Microbiology. Graduate students wishing to take part in the work of the Centre register with an appropriate University department, but may conduct a large part of their thesis research working with personnel and equipment of a cooperating agency. Personnel from the agencies participate in giving appropriate course work. Both master’s and doctoral work can be conducted through the Centre.

Website: <web.uvic.ca/forbiol>