Joana L. Rocha
Ola!
I am an evolutionary biologist at the department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley, working with Peter Sudmant. I received my PhD in Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution having been advised by Raquel Godinho at the University of Porto, and Rasmus Nielsen at UC Berkeley.
My research addresses pressing fundamental questions in environmental change biology. In a nutshell: I study the genetic mechanisms behind how species adapt and evolve in response to changing environmental conditions, including changes in climate, habitat, local pathogens and resource availability. When I am not doing science, I enjoy being in close contact with nature and sharing all the amazing wonders our planet has to offer with the people I love.
news
Sep 24, 2024 | Handling the heat: Desert collaborations unveil the genetic history of how foxes have adapted to a warming climate, Samvardhini Sridharan, Berkeley Science Review |
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Sep 4, 2024 | Agriculture accelerated human genome evolution to capture energy from starchy foods, Robert Sanders, Science and Environment Research, UC Berkeley News |
Jul 11, 2024 | Talk at SMBE 2024! |
May 10, 2023 | Talk at BoG 2023! |
Sep 20, 2022 | These rare adaptations help animals survive in the desert, Jason P. Dinh, Discover Magazine |
selected publications
2024
- Recurrent evolution and selection shape structural diversity at the amylase locusNature, Sep 2024Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
2023
2022
2021
- Life in Deserts: The Genetic Basis of Mammalian Desert AdaptationTrends in Ecology & Evolution, Apr 2021