The Institute of Wood Biology of the University of Hamburg has a distinguished reputation in bamboo research - thanks largely to the extensive work of Professor Emeritus Dr. Walter Liese, who is a key partner in the BTN project.

Prof. Liese is an outstanding scientist whose research on bamboo dates back to 1958.  He is a renowned expert on bamboo anatomy and preservation of bamboo.  The depth and volume of his work on bamboo, which comprises hundreds of articles, books, technical reports and feasibility studies, is unparalleled by any single researcher.  He has supervised over 60 Ph.D. theses, most of which dealt with bamboo.  Many of his students are now leading bamboo scientists, notably Dr. Latif Mohmod (FRIM) and Prof. Yulong Ding (INBAR).

Prof. Liese has been engaged in the two EC funded research projects on bamboo. In the INCO project Sustainable management and quality improvement of bamboo and products, his role is that of general adviser to the research program.  In the FAIR project Bamboo for Europe he advised on quality degradation of harvested bamboos.

He is also a past president of IUFRO and has acted as advisor for FAO and INBAR.  Prof. Liese is the recipient of five Doctor Honoris Causa degrees and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the European Bamboo Society in 1995.