Luis Diaz-Garcia, Ph.D.
Position Title
Assistant Professor (Grape Breeder)
Unit
Viticulture & Enology
Luis Diaz-Garcia received his undergraduate degree in Agronomy from Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, and his master's degree in Plant Biotechnology from CINVESTAV-LANGEBIO. He then joined the Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics Program at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and obtained his Ph.D. in 2018. During his Ph.D., Luis worked in cranberry genetics, genomics, and phenomics, under the supervision of Dr. Juan Zalapa. After graduating from UW Madison, Luis moved to Aguascalientes, Mexico, and occupied a position as lead scientistic at INIFAP, a Mexican agency for research in agriculture, livestock, and forestry. At INIFAP, Luis conducted genetics and genomics research on several crop species including guava, maize, and Capsicum. Luis joined the Viticulture and Enology Department in Fall 2022 and currently leads the grapevine breeding program at UC Davis. His lab at UC Davis integrates multidisciplinary and high-scalable approaches for guiding grapevine breeding efforts and preventing future difficulties in growing high-quality grapes in the light of climate change. Research and breeding in Luis’ group is based on the needs and priorities of growers, industry, nurseries, food processors, and consumers. His lab heavily relies on industry collaborations and on building relationships with growers to better assess current and future challenges, priorities, and areas of opportunity for grapevine breeding.