David Zapata
Research Associate
David.Zapata@colostate.edu
Biography and Education
Hometown
Quito, Ecuador
Fun Fact
I make my own mead and bread.
Research
David is a Research Associate on the Green Evolution program for both the Biofortification Lab and the Crop Adaptation Lab. His role encompasses many aspects of these programs, with an emphasis on phenotyping using analytical chemistry, as well as development of analytical methods, particularly high-throughput methods, for use in biofortification of staple crops. This technology will be given to collaborator breeding programs to increase their biofortification breeding efficiency. David has expertise in analytical chemistry.
Career Goal
Study the factors involved in biosynthesis of beneficial phytochemicals in crops and how they contribute to human health and making food more nourishing.
Education
M.S. Horticulture
Colorado State University, 2024
Thesis: Development of a high-throughput phenotyping method for measuring sorghum carotenoids
B.S. Biotechnology Engineering