Research and Development in the field of wood science in Brazil began in the mid-1900s and involved a few laboratories of research institutions and universities. There was no R&D strategy for the area at the time. Forestry Engineering Courses, created in the 1960s, basically graduated silviculturists. In the early 1970s the only laboratory, in the area of wood science of the Forest Engineering Course, was wood anatomy. In the same decade, the creation of the FUPEF, the Freiburg Agreement and the Post-Graduation Course were important factors to promote R&D related to wood. Agreements as well as cooperation with the private sector were important for the formation of critic mass for the installation and operation of laboratories in the area. To attend the market demand, it was since the beginning, one of the priorities in the design of R&D projects in the area of Technology and Use of Forest Products. Over the years, professors from various disciplines, including wood anatomy, characterization and quality, standardization and certification, structural applications and products, drying, biodegradation and preservation, wood panels, energy, supply and logistics, chemistry, pulp and paper, have implemented several projects. A large part of the R&D program considered cooperation agreements and national and international partnerships. Future topics in the area of wood science focus on innovation. R&D will increasingly involve aspects related to nanotechnology, process automation, value-added products, reduction of energy consumption, and mitigation of environmental impacts in processing and use, and improvement of process efficiency. The main objective of the work will be to increase productivity to guarantee the sustainability and competitiveness of the Brazilian forestry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]