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Until the early 17th century almost all portable paintings were created on wood ~supports, including masterpieces by famous painters, ranging from Giotto to Dürer ~to Rembrandt. The structural conservation of these paintings requires specific ~knowledge and skills as the supports are susceptible to damage caused by unstable ~environmental conditions. ~Unfortunately, past structural interventions often caused significant damage due ~to insufficient knowledge of the behaviour of the wood panels, glue and paint ~layers. Over the last fifty years, the field has developed treatment strategies based ~on interdisciplinary collaboration and on the knowledge of specialist conservators. ~Most current conservation protocols rely on empirical knowledge of conservators ~and are not necessarily based on a scientific understanding of the nature and ~behaviour of wood and paint layers. ~In order to move the field forward, it is imperative to strengthen scientific research ~into the production methods, ageing and future behaviour of panel paintings, ~being an intricate interplay between different materials. A deeper understanding of ~the processes that adversely affect panel paintings over time will contribute to the ~improved care and conservation of these artworks. ~The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Rijksmuseum ~Amsterdam brought together a group of experts from different disciplines to ~recommend specific areas in the field that would benefit from systematic research. ~The experts concluded that targeted interdisciplinary research projects are key to ~understanding the behaviour of panel paintings and help conservators make better ~informed decisions. Research into chemical and physical properties of wood, glue ~and paint layers should be combined with an evaluation of past and current ~conservation treatments. Research should also consider the history of the object, ~studio practice, conservation history and thoughts on long-term impact of ~treatments.