He obtained his title of Agricultural Engineer, Mention Fruit Growing, at the University of Chile in 1962.

Master of Science in Horticulture, specializing in Postharvest at Washington State University (Pullman) in 1965. Postgraduate Diploma in Plant Physiology, at the University of Granada, Spain in 1966. Ph.D. in Botany at the U. of California, Davis in 1975. His first professional work was done in 1962 in the Dept. of Fruit Arboriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture in the Quinta Normal. Between 1966 and 1970, he actively participated in the “U. de Chile-U. of California”, as a fruit growing counterpart of the 11 specialists from the University of California, Davis. Between the years 1970 and 1974 he carried out doctoral studies in the US From 1975 to 1980 he was Director of the Dept. of Agricultural Production of the Faculty of Cs. Agriculture and Forestry, U. of Chile. In 1976 he created the Frutales Menores course. In 1986 he created and directed the Center for Postharvest Studies (CEPOC).

Additionally, it organized five International Symposiums on Postharvest Fruit Management, Quality and Physiology, sponsored by FONDEF, RITEP (Ibero-American Network of Postharvest Technology), FEDEFRUTA, FAO and the Chilean Agricultural Society (SACH). In 1978 as President of the SACH, he transformed the "Agronomic Days" into an "Annual Congress". In addition, he reformed the presentation of works and renewed the Simiente magazine. In 1979 he organized the first international meeting of the Chilean Agricultural Congress, with the American Society for Horticultural Science, Tropical Region. Between 1980 and 1985, Dr. Lizana was invited to join the Faculty of Agronomy of the Pontificia U. Católica de Chile, to develop the Postharvest Laboratory, thus initiating systematic research in this discipline at that University. In 1986, he returned to the U. de Chile.

Between 1969 and 1996 he directed 16 Research Projects partially or totally financed by competitive funds (CORFO, CONICYT, FIA) and private. Since 1977 and for 14 years, he organized and carried out technical visits, which sought to accelerate the introduction of fruit production and handling technologies, through the fruit-growing areas of California, for hundreds of Chilean farmers, technicians, and agronomy students.

Between 1979 and 1980, he was President of the American Society for Horticultural Science, Tropical Region. On the other hand, between 1990 and 1991 he was President of the American Society for Tropical Horticulture. Likewise, between 1979 and 1982, he was Consultant as a Fruit Specialist for the Feasibility Projects of the National Irrigation Commission in the valleys of: Mataquito (1978), Aconcagua, La Ligua and Petorca (1979-82) and Vallenar (1982). ), among other national and international consultancies. Between 1995-2002, Dr. Lizana was hired as Horticultural Advisor and Postharvest Advisor for the ATUT Project (Agricultural Technology Utilization and Transfer), financed by USAID-Government of Egypt. As a result of the above, he planned and directed 7 training trips for Egyptian table grape technicians, farmers and exporters to Chile.

In the Faculty of Cs. Agronomics of the U. of Chile, he has been Prof. of Management, Quality and Postharvest Physiology of Fruits since its creation until 2017. In the Period 2002-2006 he was Director of the Graduate School, of the Faculty.

Antonio Lizana has been a Full Professor at the U. of Chile since 1986. Dean of the Faculty for three periods (1986-1990, 2006-2010 and 2010-2014) and Emeritus Professor of the Univ. of Chile in 2019.

During his academic and professional career he has received different distinctions: Carlos Porter Award for Scientific Activity, Colegio de Ing. Agr. of Chile, 1989. Agronomic Merit Award, Agronomic Society of Chile, 1995. Award in Recognition for Contributions in Postharvest Science and Technology in Latin America. U. de Querétaro, Mexico, 1995. Award in Recognition for Contributions to post-harvest of fruits and vegetables in Ibero-America, Ibero-American Association of Post-harvest Technology, 2002. National Agricultural Medal Award from IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Chile, 2004. Medal of Academic Merit Rector Ruy Barbosa, Faculty of Cs. Agronómicas, from Chile, 2005. Plaque of Recognition for his "Courageous and dedicated contribution to the ISTH, as an active member, member of the board of directors and mainly as editor of the Memories", ISTH (Interamerican Society for Tropical Horticulture), 2010. Award Golden Spike for professional career, Colegio de Ing. Agr. 2010.