David Douches

Dr. David Douches is a Professor in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences at Michigan State University (MSU), serving as Director of the MSU Potato Breeding & Genetics program, the USAID Feed the Future Global Biotech Potato Partnership, and the Plant Breeding, Genetics & Biotechnology Interdepartmental Graduate Program. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Davis. His work focuses on potato genetics, polyploid breeding, disease resistance, and application of CRISPR/Cas9 and gene editing technologies. He has led international collaborations in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, and other countries through USAID-funded initiatives.

• Education: Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, University of California, Davis
• Key Programs: Director of USDA/NIFA-funded regional potato breeding projects and USAID’s Global Biotech Potato Partnership (2015–2026)
• Research Interests: Potato disease resistance (e.g., late blight), genetic engineering, diploid potato breeding, SNP marker development, and trait mapping.

His research has produced over 30 potato varieties and advanced genomic tools like the SolCAP SNP arrays. Awards include the 2021 Honorary Life Membership from the Potato Association of America and the 2014 William Beal Outstanding Faculty Award. He mentors students like Natalie Kirk Wyland (studying Colorado potato beetle resistance) and Felix Encisol (working on genome-wide association studies).

Grants and collaborations include USDA/NIFA funding for regional potato breeding and a $6M USDA grant for pest-management strategies. His lab focuses on plant phenomics and biotech applications to enhance crop resilience.

Labs/Teams: MSU Potato Breeding & Genetics Program, Plant Biotechnology Lab, and the Feed the Future Global Biotech Partnership team.