Department Overview

The Department of Plant Biology at UC Davis brings together leading scientists exploring how plants grow, evolve, and interact with their environments. Research in the department spans scales from molecules and cells to whole organisms and ecosystems across the diversity of plant life. Using modern approaches, including genomics, biochemistry, structural biology, imaging, synthetic and systems biology, faculty investigate fundamental processes such as plant metabolism, development, signaling, and plant–environment interactions. These discoveries advance our understanding of plant life while driving innovation in agriculture, biotechnology, and environmental sustainability. 

The department offers undergraduate majors in plant biology and systems and synthetic biology, and supports interdisciplinary graduate training through the Plant Biology Graduate Group.

Leadership