Laura Diaz-Martinez

Laura Diaz-Martinez is an Associate Professor of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Gonzaga University, where she has been teaching since 2019. Her academic journey began in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where she earned her B.Sc. in Biology and Chemistry from the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes. She then pursued her Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics at the University of Minnesota, followed by postdoctoral research at UT-Southwestern Medical Center and a position as Research Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at El Paso.

Dr. Diaz-Martinez is a dedicated cell biologist whose research focuses on understanding cellular mechanisms at the molecular level. She leads two primary research projects: (1) Discovery of gene function, particularly studying hundreds of genes with unknown functions that are required for cell survival, and (2) Investigating chalcones as potential anti-cancer drugs through collaboration with the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Her work combines microscopy with molecular biology techniques to unravel the complexity of cellular processes.

Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on cell division mechanisms, chromosome segregation, and the molecular regulation of the cell cycle. Her research has evolved to include significant contributions to understanding the ethical dimensions of undergraduate research education, reflecting her dual commitment to scientific discovery and pedagogical excellence. Her most recent work demonstrates increasing interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in the areas of research ethics education and reproducibility in scientific methods.

Dr. Diaz-Martinez teaches several courses including BIOL105 (Information Flow in Biological Systems), BIOL105L (Phage Discovery Lab), and BIOL399 (Advanced Topics: Molecular Mechanisms of Cell Division). She has been actively involved in integrating ethics and responsible conduct of research education into undergraduate research experiences, contributing to national discussions and assessments in this area. Her collaborative approach extends to working with students in her Advanced Cell Biology course to test novel chalcones for potential anti-cancer properties.

Outside her research and teaching responsibilities, Dr. Diaz-Martinez enjoys hiking with her dogs, photography, and experimenting with new recipes. Her commitment to both scientific inquiry and student education creates a dynamic learning environment that bridges fundamental biological research with practical applications in medicine and education.