has a Master’s in Agronomy at the Mississippi State University (USA) and PhD also in Agronomy at the University of Illinois (USA).

Nowadays, he is a Full Professor of Plant Physiology at the Federal University of Lavras (UFLA). He teaches courses, advise undergraduate and graduate students, and perform research related to the micropropagation and in vitro conservation of native Brazilian fruit species.

He has published many scientific papers and books in the areas of plant tissue culture and plant physiology. Professor Renato Paiva was President of the Brazilian Association of Plant Tissue Culture (2003 – 2009) and Convener of the First Brazilian Congress of Plant Tissue Culture (2003). Professor Paiva is currently the Director of UFLA´s Publishing House and Chief-Editor of the Brazilian scientific journals, Science and Agrotecnology and Plant Cell Culture & Micropropagation.