I obtained a PhD degree in Azerbaijan. I have joined the Molecular Plant Biology group at the University of Turku as a postdoctoral research fellow in 2002. In 2009, I was awarded with a Docent title in the field of Bioenergetics. I have been acting as Principal Investigator at the Molecular Plant unit, University of Turku since 2010. Currently I am acting as a PI of the 'Photosynthetic microbes' team and as early-stage PI in the Finnish Center of Excellence “Molecular Biology of Primary Producers” (2014-2019). Since 2017 I am a tenure-track Associated Professor of Molecular Plant Biology. Moreover, I am a vice-chair of the Nordic Center of Excellence “Towards Versatility of Aquatic Production Platforms: Unlocking the Value of Nordic Bioresources” (NordAqua, www.nordaqua.fi) funded by NordForsk (2017-2022) and a chair of the Biocity Turku Research Programme “Advanced Bioresources and Smart Bioproducts – Towards Sustainable Bioeconomy” (SmartBio, www.smartbio.fi).