This IOFRO Tree Biotechnology meeting is arranged by Ume? Plant Science Centre (UPSC), which is an association of two departments: the Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the Department of Plant Physiology at Ume? University. IUFRO (The International Union of Forest Research Organizations) has convened international meetings on the molecular biology and genetics of forest trees since 1985, when the technology for gene transfer into plants was first developed. The IUFRO Unit on Molecular Biology of Forest Trees is concerned with all aspects of molecular methods for the study and breeding of forest trees. The International Poplar Genome Concortium (IPGC) will hold its third meeting, in conjunction with the IUFRO Tree Biotechnology meeting in Ume In the exciting times of poplar genome sequencing the meeting will highlight forefront research on molecular biology and genetics of forest trees. Our aim is to cover basic aspects of growth, development and environmental interaction of forest trees, breakthrough technologies and their practical implementations in tree biotechnology.