Dr. Martha Orozco-Cárdenas is the Director of the Plant Transformation Research Center and an Academic Coordinator for the Department of Botany & Plant Sciences at the University of California, Riverside. She is an accomplished plant biotechnologist with over two decades of research in genetic transformation, molecular signaling, and plant defense.

Since 2002, Martha has directed UCR’s Plant Transformation Research Center, advancing protocols for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, tissue culture, and genome-editing platforms across crops such as citrus,  canola, lettuce, potato, tomato, and exotic species. Her pioneering contributions include the development of “Space tomatoes” for NASA’s Small Plants for Agriculture in Confined Environments (SPACE) program, supporting plant growth in microgravity and advancing future space agriculture. For this work, her team received two NASA awards in 2023 and 2024 recognizing innovation and excellence in space biology research. Her studies have also deepened understanding of wound signaling, systemic hydrogen peroxide responses, and defense peptide expression in crops.

Martha’s global scientific background is extensive. She has held principal investigator roles in Colombia’s biotechnology programs and served as a visiting scientist at leading institutions in the United States, Europe, India, and Cuba. Her leadership has earned recognition through awards for scientific safety, collaboration, and excellence.

At ArcGen Pro, Martha lends her expertise to the Scientific Advisory Committee, shaping the development of semiochemical-driven pest management technologies. Her deep knowledge of plant-insect signaling, transformation technologies, and genome editing guides R&D strategies.