About

Noah H. Rose is an Assistant Professor at UC San Diego in the Department of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution within the School of Biological Sciences. The page does not provide specific details about his research focus, background, or key contributions. Therefore, no further biographical information is available from the provided text.

Research topics

• Biology
• Ecology
• Genetics
• Evolutionary biology
• Zoology
• Computational biology
• Virology
• Demography

Selected publications

• Drought tolerance of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> mosquito eggs is influenced by adaptation to local climate conditions and associations with humans

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-01-15 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access

  Abstract Urbanization is intensifying human interactions with mosquitoes, exacerbating public health challenges. Densely populated areas provide ideal conditions for container-dwelling mosquitoes, with increased host availability and the presence of artificial breeding sites. These anthropophilic mosquitoes often exhibit distinct ecological adaptations compared to their rural counterparts. Since mosquito eggs are immobile and remain at the site of oviposition, they provide a valuable lens for assessing how urbanization, climate-driven shifts in temperature, and drought affect mosquito reproductive success. This study examined Ae. aegypti egg viability under varying temperature and dry conditions over five months, focusing on lineages with distinct ancestries from West African populations. Mosquitoes collected from urban habitats with a high human preference demonstrated higher egg survival under prolonged arid conditions. Analysis of climatic factors revealed that dry season temperature and precipitation during wet periods are significant predictors of egg drought tolerance. Modeling future climate scenarios based on input from our egg viability results suggests a projected shift and expansion in the seasonal survival window for Ae. aegypti by the end of the century. This study highlights the importance of understanding environmental constraints on the drought tolerance of mosquito eggs to predict and mitigate future mosquito outbreaks.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Rapid Evolution in a Coral Population Following a Mass Mortality Event

  Evolutionary Applications · 2026-02-01

  articleOpen access

  Globally, corals face an increased frequency of mass mortality events (MMEs) as populations experience repeated marine heatwaves which disrupt their obligate algal symbiosis. Despite greater occurrences of MMEs, the relative roles of the environment, host, and symbiont genetic variation in survival, subsequent recovery, and carry-over effects to the next generation remain unresolved. High-resolution temporal and spatial whole genome sequencing of corals before, after, and several years following an MME reveal that host genetics have an impact on bleaching and mortality and that selected alleles important for adaptation persist through the next generation, demonstrating rapid evolution in this coral population. Bleaching resistance and survival following the bleaching event were highly polygenic, and allele frequency shifts show reef habitat specificity, emphasizing the spatial complexity of environmental selection and how it shapes population recovery following an MME. This study reveals how MMEs reshape the genomic landscape and the spatial and temporal distribution of genomic diversity within coral populations facing severe threats from global change.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Ecological genomics of preference for human hosts in the native range of the dengue mosquito

  bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · 2026-02-12

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Abstract The arbovirus transmitting mosquito Aedes aegypti has African origins where it maintains generalist and human specialist feeding forms, the latter of which has recently expanded their range worldwide. These two different forms appear to be directly linked to discrete genetic lineages, where the relative proportion of each ancestry dictates a mosquito’s standing on the human specialist-generalist behavior spectrum. Here we take a population genomics approach to develop a predictive model for describing the distribution of human specialist behavior across Africa. We show genome-wide ancestry is predictive of human specialist behavior, but a subset of the genome offers even greater predictability. We also show that an ecological model incorporating precipitation, temperature and human density explains the geographic patterning of human specialist behavior in Africa.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Small RNA genomics of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes discovers infectious viruses that trigger an RNA interference response

  Nature Communications · 2026-04-23

  articleOpen access

  We report a global survey of viral small RNAs (vsmRNAs) from >200 Aedes aegypti samples to identify many mosquito viruses that actively infect this prominent arboviral vector. Ae. aegypti viruses in the Americas are abundant, with some displaying geographical boundaries. Viruses infecting Asian Ae. aegypti are similar to those in the Americas and reveal the first wild example of dengue vsmRNAs. African Ae. aegypti display vsmRNAs from viruses unique to these African strains. Academic lab colonies generally lack viruses, yet two commercial strains are deeply infected by a tombus-like virus that is related to plant viruses. Comparing matched viral long RNAs to vsmRNAs reveal viral transcripts evading the mosquito RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. By infecting mosquito cells with Ae. aegypti homogenates, we generate stably infected cell lines which produce vsmRNAs that were comparable to native mosquito vsmRNA patterns. Lastly, we demonstrate that these stably infected mosquito cells producing vsmRNAs can exert gene silencing of reporters bearing viral sequence segments, providing a potential explanation for how Ae. aegypti can resist viral infections. This vsmRNA genomics approach in Ae. aegypti can add to existing vector surveillance approaches by discovering new viruses that persist in mosquito populations.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Chromosomal Inversions and Their Potential Impact on the Evolution of Arboviral Vector <i>Aedes aegypti</i>

  Genome Biology and Evolution · 2025-06-07 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Chromosomal inversions play a crucial role in evolution and have been found to regulate epidemiologically significant traits in malaria mosquitoes. However, they have not been characterized in Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of arboviruses, due to the poor structure of its polytene chromosomes. The Hi-C proximity ligation approach was used to identify chromosomal inversions in 25 strains of A. aegypti obtained from its worldwide distribution and in one strain of Aedes mascarensis. The study identified 21 multimegabase polymorphic inversions ranging in size from 5 to 55 Mbp. Inversions were more abundant in African than in non-African strains, 15 versus 3 inversions, with the highest number observed in West Africa. All inversions were grouped into two geographic clusters of African or non-African origin, suggesting their association with A. aegypti subspecies. Inversions were unevenly distributed along chromosomal arms, with the highest number found in the 1q and 3p arms homologous to the inversion-rich 2R chromosomal arm in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. Direct comparison of inversions between A. aegypti and An. gambiae revealed significant overlap in their genomic locations. This finding may explain the parallel evolution of the two species under similar environmental conditions. Some of the inversions colocalized with chemoreceptor genes and quantitative trait loci associated with pathogen infection, suggesting their potential role in host preference and disease transmission. Our study revealed the large pool of structural variations in the A. aegypti genome and provides the foundation for future studies of their impact on the biology of this important arboviral vector.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Genomics of urban adaptation and exaptation in mosquitoes and consequences for vectorial capacity

  Current Opinion in Insect Science · 2025-05-09 · 6 citations

  reviewOpen accessSenior author

  As urbanization accelerates around the world, mosquitoes that are capable of surviving and thriving in urban habitats increasingly spread mosquito-borne diseases. Across the >3,500 known species of mosquitoes, only a few rapidly adapted to the novel (on an evolutionary timescale) urban environments. In this review we highlight several emerging themes and testable hypotheses from recent literature. First, apparent urban adaptations can be roughly divided into newer adaptations arising in an urban context and exaptations – traits that evolved in a different context, prior to modern urbanization. Second, variants involved in urban adaptation are often partitioned among species complexes and cryptic lineages, and the history of gene flow-selection balance may be related to the evolution of compact genomic architectures that could facilitate rapid urban adaptation. Third, urban adaptation often has consequences for vectorial capacity – the ability of mosquitoes to serve as effective vectors of a particular pathogen – though the selective drivers and genetic mechanisms underlying these differences are incompletely understood. To fully understand urban adaptation in mosquitoes, we advocate for a coordinated effort to increase linkages between evolutionary ecology, population genomics, and medical entomology research. We discuss the two traits for which all three perspectives are the most developed – host preference and insecticide resistance – before reviewing several other less studied traits. • Rapid expansion into urban habitats has been observed across mosquito species • Adaptations are fueled by both de novo mutation and standing variation • Many apparent urban adaptations are exaptations that arose in other contexts, before modern urbanization • Species complexes and cryptic lineages provide adaptive variation • Urban adaptation affects the ability of mosquitoes to transmit disease

  PublisherDOI

• 1206 genomes reveal origin and movement of <i>Aedes aegypti</i> driving increased dengue risk

  Science · 2025-09-18 · 14 citations

  articleOpen access

  The emergence and global expansion of Aedes aegypti puts more than half of all humans at risk of arbovirus infection, but the origin of this mosquito and the impact of contemporary gene flow on arbovirus control are unclear. We sequenced 1206 genomes from 73 globally distributed locations. After evolving a preference for humans in Sahelian West Africa, the invasive subspecies Ae. aegypti aegypti ( Aaa ) emerged in the Americas after the Atlantic slave trade era and expanded globally. Recent back-to-Africa Aaa migration introduced insecticide resistance and anthropophily into regions with recent dengue outbreaks, raising concern that Aaa movement could increase arbovirus risk in urban Africa. These data underscore developing complexity in the fight against dengue, Zika, and chikungunya and provide a platform to further study this important mosquito vector.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Referee report. For: The genome sequence of the de Prunner’s Ringlet, Erebia triaria von Prunner, 1798 (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) [version 1; peer review: 3 approved]

  Faculty of 1000 Research Ltd · 2025-01-01

  peer-reviewOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Population genetic analysis of Aedes aegypti reveals evidence of emerging admixture populations in coastal Kenya

  PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025-05-20 · 6 citations

  articleOpen access

  BACKGROUND: The Aedes aegypti mosquito is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions. There are two recognized subspecies; the invasive Aedes aegypti aegypti (Aaa) and the ancestral Aedes aegypti formosus (Aaf). Aaf is common throughout Kenya whereas Aaa, which was historically confined to coastal regions, has undergone a range expansion. In areas of sympatry, gene flow may lead to admixed populations with potential differences in vectorial capacity. We hypothesize that coastal Ae. aegypti populations have a higher proportion of Aaa ancestry than those from inland locations of Kenya, influenced by their distance to the coast. METHODOLOGY: Adult Ae. aegypti mosquitoes were collected using Biogent (BG) sentinel traps baited with carbon-dioxide (CO2) from cities and towns along the Kenyan northern transport corridor. Aedes aegypti population structure, genetic diversity, and isolation by distance were analyzed using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) datasets generated with an Ae. aegypti microarray chip targeting ≈50,000 SNPs. Kenyan Aedes aegypti populations were placed into a global context within a phylogenetic tree, by combining the Kenyan dataset with a previously published global database. RESULTS: A total of 67 Ae. aegypti mosquitoes population from Kenya were genotyped, we found that western Kenya Ae. aegypti constitute a genetically homogenous population that clusters with African Aaf, whereas coastal mosquitoes showed evidence of admixture between the two subspecies. There was a positive correlation (Observation = 0.869, p = 0.0023) between genetic distance (FST) and geographic distance, suggesting isolation by distance. The phylogenetic analysis and the genetic structure analysis suggest that an Asian Aaa population is the source of Aaa invasion into Kenya. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence of an emerging admixed population of Ae. aegypti in coastal Kenya between the sylvatic Aaf and the domesticated-human preferring Aaa. The observed gene flow from Aaa into Kenya may positively influence Ae. aegypti vectorial capacity, potentially increasing human feeding preference, biting rates and vector competence and could be promoting the observed dengue and chikungunya outbreaks.

  PublisherDOI

• Thermal tolerance of Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs is associated with urban adaptation and human interactions

  Journal of Thermal Biology · 2025-06-12 · 5 citations

  articleOpen access

  Climate change will profoundly affect mosquito distributions and their ability to serve as vectors for disease, specifically with the anticipated increase in heat waves. The rising temperature and frequent heat waves can accelerate mosquito life cycles, facilitating higher disease transmission. Conversely, higher temperatures could increase mosquito mortality as a negative consequence. Warmer temperatures are associated with urbanized areas, suggesting a need for anthropophilic mosquitoes to adapt to be more hardy to heat stress. Mosquito eggs provide an opportunity to study the biological impact of climate warming as this stage is stationary and must tolerate temperatures at the site of female oviposition. As such, egg thermotolerance is critical for survival in a specific habitat. In nature, Aedes mosquitoes exhibit different behavioral phenotypes, where specific populations prefer depositing eggs in tree holes and prefer feeding non-human vertebrates. In contrast, others, particularly human-biting specialists, favor laying eggs in artificial containers near human dwellings. This study examined the thermotolerance of eggs, along with larval and adult stages, for Aedes aegypti lineages associated with known ancestry and shifts in their host preferences. Mosquitoes collected from areas with high human density showed increased egg viability following high-temperature stress, and a similar, yet more muted effect was noted in larvae. Unlike eggs and larvae, thermal tolerance among adults showed no significant correlation based on the area of collection or human-association. This study underscores that urbanization is a major driver of egg thermotolerance, highlighting the egg stage is likely critical to mosquito survival when associated with humans and needs to be accounted for when predicting future mosquito distribution.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Diégo Ayala

  Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

  66 shared

• Carolyn S. McBride

  Princeton University

  42 shared

• Jewelna Akorli

  Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research

  41 shared

• Stephen R. Palumbi

  Pacific University

  37 shared

• Sampson Otoo

  Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research

  37 shared

• Louis Lambrechts

  31 shared

• Massamba Sylla

  Université du Sine Saloum El-Hâdj Ibrahima NIASS

  23 shared

• Rachael A. Bay

  University of California, Davis

  21 shared

Labs

• Rose LabPI

Education

• PhD, Biology

  Stanford University

• BsC, Computational Biology

  Brown University

  2012

Awards & honors

• NSF Graduate Research Fellow
• Helen Hay Whitney Postdoctoral Fellow