Joana Rocha

Joana Rocha is an Assistant Professor of Biology at New York University, affiliated with the BIO department. Her research interests include evolutionary genomics, environmental change biology, adaptation in extreme terrestrial biomes, and biodiversity conservation. She holds a Ph.D. in Biodiversity, Genetics and Evolution from the University of Porto and the University of Lisbon, as well as an M.S. and BSc in Biology from the University of Porto. Her work has been supported by various grants and awards, including the Doctoral Grant Foundation for Science and Technology, FCT, and the Research Assistant Grant for the Conservation of the Giant Sable antelope of Angola. She is also affiliated with the Center for Genomics and Systems Biology at NYU.

Joana L. Rocha is a researcher at New York University whose work focuses on the genetic mechanisms underlying adaptation and evolution in mammals and primates. Her research explores the genomic basis of traits such as desert adaptation, starch digestion, and structural variation. She has conducted comparative genomic studies on apes, including the complete sequencing of ape genomes and the analysis of sex chromosomes. Her work also investigates convergent evolution, introgression, and the role of structural variation in shaping genetic diversity across species. Rocha's research integrates genomics, evolutionary biology, and computational methods to uncover the molecular underpinnings of adaptation.