Dr. Christine Diepenbrock

Headshot

Position Title
Assistant Professor

  • Department of Plant Sciences
Plant Reproductive Biology Building
Bio

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis. I obtained a B.A. in Biology with a concentration in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry from Washington University in St. Louis, and a Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University. I subsequently worked on the Predictive Agriculture team at Corteva AgriscienceTM before moving to UC Davis in 2019. Our research group is focused on understanding and improving crop nutritional quality and abiotic stress tolerance. We employ statistical genetics/computational genomics methodologies to identify the genetic basis of and predict breeding values for crop nutritional quality traits. We also integrate these methodologies with models of crop growth and development, and data representing other tissue and time scales of relevance to plant biology. I have also taken on the bean breeding program in UC Davis Plant Sciences. Our overarching aim, including through collaborative partnerships, is to develop nutritionally dense crop varieties that are climate-resilient and otherwise acceptable to growers, processors, and consumers.