Biosketch

Noah K. Whiteman

Professor of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution & Development, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (100%), Department of Integrative Biology (0%), University of California, Berkeley. Courtesy appointments in Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Essig Museum of Entomology, and University and Jepson Herbaria.

Email: whiteman@berkeley.edu

Education

Postdoctoral Fellow Harvard University & Massachusetts General Hospital (2006-2010)
Advisors: Naomi E. Pierce & Frederick M. Ausubel

Ph.D. Biology, University of Missouri-St. Louis (2006)
Advisor: Patricia G. Parker

M.S. Entomology, University of Missouri-Columbia (2000)
Advisor: Robert W. Sites

B.A. Biology cum laude with Distinction, Saint John’s University, Minnesota (1998)
Advisor: James Poff

Appointments

2024-present Professor, Division of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution & Development in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (100%) and Department of Integrative Biology (0% “over the line”), University of California, Berkeley

2023-2025 Director, Essig Museum of Entomology, University of California, Berkeley

2021-2024 Professor, Division of Genetics, Genomics, Evolution & Development in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology (50%) and Department of Integrative Biology (50%), University of California, Berkeley

2016-2021 Associate Professor, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley

2015-2016 Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona

2010-2015 Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona

Awards & Honors

2026 Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

2026 Norman L. Ford Science Literacy Lecturer, Saint John’s University

2025 Genetics Society of America Medal for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Genetics

2024-2025 Miller Research Professor, Miller Institute for Basic Research, UC Berkeley

2020 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellow

2020 Elected Fellow, Royal Entomological Society

2020 Elected Fellow, California Academy of Sciences

2019 Elected Member, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society

2016-present NIH Outstanding Investigator Award

2007-2010 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Postdoctoral Fellows (F32)

2007 Harvard University Distinction in Teaching Award

Selected Invited Talks, Keynotes, and Honorary Lectures

2027 Forthcoming–Invited Keynote, Symposium on Plant-Insect Interactions, Wageningen University

2026 Forthcoming–Invited Speaker, Lakeside Protein Toxins and Effectors 2026, Southbridge, Massachusetts.

2026 Forthcoming–Invited Speaker, EMBO/EMBL Workshop on Molecular Mechanisms in Ecology and Evolution, Heidelberg, Germany

2026 Forthcoming–Keynote Speaker, Early Career Symposium, Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna, Austria

2026 Norman L. Ford Science Literacy Lecturer, Saint John’s University

2025 Invited Evening Speaker, Gordon Research Conference on Animal-Microbial Symbioses, Portland, Maine

2024 Invited Speaker, EMBO/EMBL Workshop on Diversity of Plants: From Genomes to Metabolism, Heidelberg, Germany

2024 Harry Hann Endowed Lecture, University of Michigan Biological Station

2024 Graduate Student Invited Speaker, Biodiversity Department, University of British Columbia

2021 Plenary Evening Speaker, Annual Drosophila Research Conference

2021 Plenary Evening Speaker, International Conference on Arabidopsis Research, Seattle

2021 Distinguished LGBTQ+STEM Speaker, School of Biological Sciences, University of Utah

2020 Invited Symposium Speaker, Sensing Our Way Forward: Linking Insect Genes and Behavior for a more Sustainable Tomorrow, International Congress of Entomology, Helsinki, Finland (postponed due to COVID-19)

2020 Invited Program Symposium Speaker, Entomology for All: Diverse Speakers Showcasing Chemoreception in Diverse Insects (chairs Walter Leal and John Carlson). Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Orlando, FL

2019 Invited Keynote, European Society for Evolutionary Biology Annual Meeting, Turku, Finland

2019 Invited Speaker, Symposium in Honor of Naomi Pierce, 2019 International Prize in Biology, Tokyo

2019 Invited Evening Speaker, Gordon Research Conference on Plant–Herbivore Interactions, Ventura, CA

2018 Invited Working Group Member, Time’s Arrow: Aging & Adaptation in Infectious Diseases, Santa Fe Institute

2018 Graduate Student Invited Keynote Speaker, UC-Davis Plant Sciences Symposium

2018 Postdoctoral Fellows Invited Speaker, University of Chicago, Department of Ecology and Evolution

2017 Invited Speaker, Center for Integrative Genomics Symposium: Innovations in Biology, University of Lausanne

2017 Chair and Keynote Speaker, Evolutionary Genomics Session, 16th Symposium on Insect–Plant Interactions, Tours, France

2017 Distinguished Lecturer, W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University

2014 Graduate Student Invited Speaker, Duke University, Department of Biology

2014 Invited Keynote, Italian Congress of Entomology, Orosei, Italy

2014 Invited Keynote, European PhD Network in Insect Science, Orosei, Italy

2012 Invited Keynote, Entangled Genomes Colloquium, Oklahoma State University

Leadership & Service

2026 Guest Member, Genetic Variation and Evolution Study Section, National Institutes of Health

2025-present Scientific Advisory Board, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany

2023-present Senior Editor for Genome Reports, G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

2022-present Co-Director, Genetics Dissection of Cells and Organisms Training Program (GDTP), NIH T32 predoctoral grant (with Nicole King)

2023-2025 Special Advisor to the Provost on Climate and Mentoring (Co-lead, Faculty Link Program, Office for Faculty Equity & Welfare, UC Berkeley, Co-lead Serena Chen)

2022-2026 Advisor, Arcadia Science

2021-2023 Elected to Board of Directors, Genetics Society of America

2019 Elected Vice Chair (2023) and Chair (2025), Gordon Research Conference on Plant-Herbivore Interaction

2018 Co-organizer, Annual Drosophila Research Conference, Philadelphia

Mentees

Postdoctoral Scholars:

Dr. Jack Liu (July 2026-present, Life Sciences Research Foundation Fellow)

Dr. Jeff Groh (July 2025-present, Miller Fellow, co-mentored with Professor Ben Blackman)

Dr. Moe Bakhtiari (2020-2023, Early Postdoc Mobility Fellowship, Swiss National Science Foundation, currently postdoc ETH, Switzerland)

Dr. Sam Chaturvedi (2021-2023, Postdoctoral Fellow, currently Assistant Professor, Tulane University)

Dr. Rebecca Tarvin (2018-2020; Miller Institute Fellow, co-advised with Prof. R. Nielsen; currently Assistant Professor, Department of Integrative Biology and Herpetology Curator, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, UC-Berkeley)

Dr. Marianthi Karageorgi (2017-2020, currently postdoc, Stanford and incoming Lecturer, University of Melbourne)

Dr. Rebecca Duncan (2016-2019, Miller Institute Fellowship, co-advised with Prof. S. Lindow, currently researcher, CDC)

Dr. Teruyuki Matsunaga (2016-2022), Japan Science Fellowship and Uehara Foundation Fellowship, currently Assistant Professor, University of Tokyo)

Dr. Catherine Rushworth (January 2016-July 2018, currently Assistant Professor, Utah State University)

Dr. Simon Groen (Postdoctoral Fellow, April 2014-2016, currently Assistant Professor, UC- Riverside)

Dr. Paul Nabity (USDA NIFA Fellow, 2012-2015, Assistant Professor, Assistant and Associate Professor UC-Riverside and currently Lectruer, University of Melbourne)

Dr. Anna Nelson Dittrich (PERT Postdoctoral Fellow, CIS, August 2012-2015, currently Laboratory Manager, Boyce Thompson Institute)

Dr. Jennifer Koop (PERT Postdoctoral Fellow, CIS, August 2011-2014, Currently Assistant Professor, Northern Illinois University)

Dr. Rick Lapoint (PERT Postdoctoral Fellow, CIS, July 2011-2014, currently Staff Scientist, NCBI)

Ph.D. Students:

Dr. Diler Haji (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Berkeley Fellow and IB Ph.D., 2019-2026, currently postdoc Sattley Lab, Stanford)

Dr. Rebecca Tarnopol (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Graduate Group in Microbiology Ph.D. 2021-2026, currently Sandler Fellow, UCSF)

Dr. Hiromu Suzuki (Heiwa Nakajima Foundation Fellowship and IB Ph.D., 2018-2025, currently postdoc Sorrels Lab, Yale)

Dr. Jessica Aguilar (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Chancellor’s Fellow, IB Ph.D., 2017-2024, currently postdoc Fukami Lab, Stanford)

Dr. Julianne Peláez (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, IB Ph.D., 2016-2023, currently postdoc, Garrity Lab, Brandeis)

Dr. Tim O’Connor (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Philomathia Fellow and IB Ph.D., 2012-2019, currently genomicist AbbVie)

Dr. Kirsten Verster (NSF Graduate Research Fellow and IB Ph.D., 2016-2023, currently lecturer, Stanford)

Dr. Parris Humphrey (IGERT in Comparative Genomics fellow and EEB Ph.D., 2010- 2015, currently computational biologist, Myriad)

Dr. Andrew Gloss (IGERT in Comparative Genomics fellow and NSF Graduate Research Fellow, EEB Ph.D., 2010-2017, currently Assistant Professor, University of Georgia)

Dr. Benjamin Goldman-Huertas (NSF Graduate Research Fellow, and EEB Ph.D. 2010-2018, currently Senior Specialist, UC-Berkeley).

Undergradute and High School Students:

Amir Abidov, Sneha Agrawal, Saron Akalu, Zainab Ali, Roem Araujo, Carolina Verona Arguelles, Symone Ashley, Michael Astourian, Alana Augur, Ivan Salvador Ayala, Timothy Barnes, Ashley Bendl, Allan Castillo, Kevin Chai, Bridget Cheng, Matt Cravens, Ana Gallegos Cruz, Sammy Dominguez, Gabriel Dueñas, Kelly D’Ambrogia, William Farley, Mitchell Feldmann, Jason Giles, Alexander Hailey, Jordan Hoff, Lauren Johnston, Eunice Kim, Nayoon Kim, Natalie Kircher, Noel Kitchen, Boris Korablev, Robert Kupp, Erika LaPlante, Anna Leipertz, Irene Liang, Sergio Antonio Matias, Maria Mendoza, Aruna Menon, Christina Meyer, Kevin Miao, Claire Mirocha, Gillian Montross, Gillian Oaks, Chris Ochoa, Judith Okoro, Elizabeth Ordeman, Taylor Ortiz, Rachel Patterson, Anna Pham, Giovani Pimentel-Solorio, Hoon Pyon, Julianne Ray, Justin Rigby, Esteban Rodas, Sarah Caitlyn Rogan, Eric Rogers, Faye Romero, Easha Sagar, Marissa Sandoval, Lindsey Schader, Hannah Shadmany, Malvika Singhal, Joseph Sitzman, Haarini Sridhar, Shivani Sundaram, Ashleigh Takemoto, Josephine Tamsil, Nancy Thi, Xiaohe “Lucy” Tian, Martha Villalobos, George Wang, Jiarui Wang, Ryan Wang, Naama Weksler, Amelia Renee White, Ella Wilcox, Joshua Wong, Kannagi Yashroy, Derrick Yip, Fareha Moulana Zada, Samantha Zaninelli, Shirley Zhang, Caitlyn Zhu

Books

Whiteman, N. K. (2023). Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins — From Spices to Vices. Little Brown Spark, New York. ISBN 9780316386579. UK and Commonwealth edition: Oneworld. Translated into Chinese, Spanish, Polish, and Romanian. Audiobook: Brilliance/Audible.

Preprints

103. Suzuki, H. C, C. T. Saito, S. Rajshekar, T. Sokabe, D. Haji, S. C. Groen, J. N. Peláez, T. Matsunaga, A. S. Takemoto, K. M. Tanaka, A. Takahashi, M. Tominaga, S. Saito, N. K. Whiteman. Alternative splicing in TRPA1 drives sensory adaptation to electrophiles in drosophilids. BioRxiv 2025.05.09.653172.

102. Peláez, J. P., S. L. Bernstein, J. Okoro, E. Rodas, I. Liang, A. Leipertz, F. Marion-Poll, N. K. Whiteman. Taste evolution in an herbivorous drosophilid. BioRxiv 2024 Feb 29:2024.02.27.582299.

101. Gloss, A.D., B. Brachi, M.J. Feldman, S.C. Groen, C. Bartoli, J. Gouzy, E.R. LaPlante, C.G. Meyer, H.S. Pyong, S.C. Rogan, F. Roux, J. Bergelson & N.K. Whiteman. Genetic variants affecting plant size and chemical defenses jointly shape herbivory in Arabidopsis. BioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/156299.

100. Humphrey, P.T., T.T Satterlee & N.K. Whiteman (2020) Competitive hierarchies, antibiosis, and the distribution of bacterial life history traits in a microbiome. BioRxiv doi.org/10.1101/2019.12.27.889774.

Scientific Publications

98. Haji, D., S. Chaturvedi, O. H. Nguyen, N, Chumchim, D. M. Toro-Vargas, J. Díaz-Díaz, L. V. Lozano-Morales, G. A. Bravo, C. González, Noah K. Whiteman. (2026) Genome assembly and venom gene mapping in the medically important moth Lonomia casanarensis (Saturniidae: Hemileucinae). G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics in press.

97. Matsunaga, T., C. Reisenman, B. Goldman-Huertas, S. Rajshekar, H. C. Suzuki, D. Tadres, J. Wong, M. Louis, S. R. Ramírez & N. K. Whiteman. (2025). Odorant receptors mediating avoidance of toxic mustard oils in Drosophila melanogaster are expanded in herbivorous relatives. Molecular Biology and Evolution 42: msaf164 Matsunaga et al. 2025 PDF

96. Tarnopol, R. L., J. Tamsil, G. Cinege, J. Ha, Kirsten I. Verster, E. Ábrahám, L. B. Magyar, B. Y. Kim, S. L. Bernstein, Z. Lipinszki, I. Andó & N. K. Whiteman (2025). Experimental horizontal transfer of phage-derived genes to Drosophila confers innate immunity to parasitoids. Current Biology 35: 514-529. Tarnopol et al 2025 PDF.

95. Magyar, L. B., E. Ábrahám, Z. Lipinszki, R. L. Tarnopol, N. K. Whiteman, V. Varga, D. Hultmark, I Andó & G. Cinege (2025). Pore-forming toxin-like proteins in the anti-parasitoid immune response of Drosophila. Journal of Innate Immunity 17 10-28. Magyar et al 2025 PDF

94. Whiteman, N. K. (2025). An inordinate fondness for plant cell wall degrading enzymes. Current Biology [Dispatch] 35: R107-R109. Whiteman 2025 PDF

93. Whiteman, N. K. (2025). The shape of discovery: a journey through genetics, coevolution, and a scientific life. Genetics [Genetics Society of America Medalist Essay] 230:iyaf096. Whiteman 2025 PDF

92. Aguilar, J. M., A. D. Gloss. H.C. Suzuki, K. I. Verster, M. Singhal, J. Hoff, R. Grebenok, P. D. Nabity, S. T. Behmer & N. K. Whiteman (2024). Insights into the evolution of herbivory from a leaf-mining fly. Ecosphere 15: e4764. Aguilar et al. 2024 PDF

91. Chaturvedi, S., M. Escalona, M. P. A. Marimuthu, O. Nguyen, N. Chumchim, C. W. Fairbairn, W. Seligmann, C. Miller, H. B. Shaffer & N. K. Whiteman (2024). A draft reference genome assembly of California Pipevine, Aristolochia californica Torr. Journal of Heredity 115: 507–515. Chaturvedi et al 2024 PDF

90. Whiteman, N. K. (2024) Genome Reports: Enhancing rigor, reproducibility, relevance. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics [Editorial] 13: jkad249. Whiteman 2024 PDF

89. Verster, K. I., G. Cinege, Z. Lipinszki, L. B. Magyar, É. Kurucz, R. L. Tarnopol, E. Ábrahám, Z. Darula, M. Karageorgi, J. A. Tamsil, S. M. Akalu, I. Andó & N. K. Whiteman (2023). Evolution of insect innate immunity through domestication of bacterial toxins. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 120: e2218334120. Verster et al 2023 PDF. See also Kerry Oliver’s Commentary in the same issue.

88. Guo, L., X. Qiao, D. Haji, D, T. Zhou, Z. Liu, N. K. Whiteman, J. Huang (2023). Convergent resistance to GABA receptor neurotoxins through plant–insect coevolution. Nature Ecology & Evolution 7: 1444–1456. Guo et al 2023 PDF

87. Whiteman, N. K. (2023). Mistletoes. Current Biology [Primer] 33: R467-R469. Whiteman 2023 PDF

86. Chaturvedi, S., M. Escalona, P. Mohan, P. A. Marimuthu, O. Nguyen, N. Chumchim, C. W. Fairbairn, W. Seligmann, C. Miller, H. B. Shaffer & N. K. Whiteman (2023). A draft reference genome assembly of the Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly, Battus philenor hirsuta. Journal of Heredity 114: 698–706. Chaturvedi et al 2023 PDF

85. Peláez, J. N., A. D. Gloss, B. Goldman-Huertas, B. Kim, R. T. Lapoint, G. Pimentel-Solorio, K. I. Verster, J. M. Aguilar, A. C. Nelson Dittrich, M. Singhal, H. C. Suzuki, T. Matsunaga, E. E. Armstrong, J. L.M. Charboneau, S. C. Groen, D. H. Hembry, C. J. Ochoa, T. K. O’Connor, S. Prost, S. Zaaijer, P. D. Nabity, J. Wang, E. Rodas, I. Liang, & N. K. Whiteman (2023). Evolution of chemosensory and detoxification gene families across herbivorous Drosophilidae. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics 13: jkad261. Peláez et al 2023 PDF

84. Peláez, J. N.., A. D. Gloss, J. F. Ray, S. Chaturvedi, D. Haji, J. L. M. Charboneau, K. I. Verster & N.K. Whiteman (2022). Evolution and genomic basis of the plant-penetrating ovipositor: a key morphological trait in herbivorous Drosophilidae. Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B 289: 20221938. Peláez et al 2022 PDF

83. Whiteman, N.K. (2022). Perspective: The problem of interaction. Evolution (75th Anniversary Symposium Issue) 76: 15-19. Whiteman 2022a PDF

82. Whiteman, N.K. (2022). Perspective: Evolution in small steps and giant leaps. Evolution (75th Anniversary Symposium Issue) 76: 67-77. Whiteman 2022b PDF

81. Groen, S.C. & N.K. Whiteman (2022). Ecology and evolution of secondary compound detoxification systems in caterpillars. In: Caterpillars in the Middle: Tritrophic Interactions in a Changing World (Editors: R.J. Marquis & S. Koptur). Springer. Groen & Whiteman 2022 PDF

80. Alexandre, N.M., D. Haji, M. Bakhtiari , K. Chatla, J.M. Aguilar, K. Arzumanova, N.K. Whiteman (2022). A reference genome assembly of hybrid-derived California wild radish (Raphanus sativus x raphanistrum). Journal of Heredity [Genome Announcement article] 113: 197-204. Alexandre et al 2022 PDF

79. Matsunaga, T., C.E. Reisenman, B. Goldman-Huertas, P. Brand, K. Miao, H. Suzuki, S.R. Ramírez, & N.K. Whiteman. (2021). Evolution of olfactory receptors tuned to mustard oils in herbivorous Drosophilidae. Molecular Biology and Evolution 39:msab62. Matsunaga et al 2021 PDF

78. Groen, S.C. & N.K. Whiteman (2021). Convergent evolution of cardiac-glycoside resistance in predators and parasites of milkweed herbivores. Current Biology 31:R1465-R1466. Groen & Whiteman 2021 PDF

77. Verster, K.I., R.L. Tarnopol, S.M. Akalu & N.K. Whiteman (2021). Horizontal transfer of microbial toxins genes to gall midge genomes. Genome Biology and Evolution 13:1-13. Verster et al 2021 PDF

76. O’Connor, T.K., M.C. Sandoval, J. Wang, J.C. Hans, R. Takenaka, M. Child VI & N.K. Whiteman (2021). Ecological basis and genetic architecture of crypsis polymorphism in the desert clicker grasshopper (Ligurotettix coquilletti). Evolution 75:2441-2459. O’Connor et al 2021 PDF

75. Whiteman, N.K. & J.N. Peláez (2021). Taste-testing tarsi: Gustatory receptors for glucosinolates in cabbage butterflies. PLoS Genetics [Perspective article] e1009616. Whiteman & Peláez 2021 PDF

74. Whiteman, N.K. & R.T. Tarnopol (2021). Whiteflies weaponize a plant defense via horizontal gene transfer. Cell [Leading Edge article] 184:1657-1658. Whiteman & Tarnopol 2021 PDF

73. Kim, B.Y., J. Wang, D.E. Miller, O. Barmina, E.K. Delaney, A. Thompson, A.A. Comeault, D. Peede, E.R.R. D’Agostino, J. Peláez, J.M. Aguilar, D. Haji, T. Matsunaga, E.E. Armstrong, M. Zych, Y. Ogawa, M. Stamenković-Radak, M. Jelić, M.S. Veselinović, M. Tanasković, P. Erić, J.-J. Gao, T.K. Katoh, M.J. Toda, H. Watabe, M. Watada, J.S. Davis, L.C. Moyle, G. Manoli, E. Bertolini, V. Košťál, R.S. Hawley, A. Takahashi, C.D. Jones, D.K. Price, N.K. Whiteman, A. Kopp, D.R. Matute & D.A. Petrov. (2021) Highly contiguous assemblies of 101 drosophilid genomes. eLife 10:e66405. Kim et al 2021 PDF

72. Mertens, D., K. Boege, A. Kessler, J. Koricheva, J.S. Thaler, N.K. Whiteman & E.H. Poelman (2021). Predictability of biotic stress structures plant defence evolution. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 36: 444-456. Mertens et al 2021 PDF

71. Nabity, P.D., G.A. Barron-Gafford & N.K. Whiteman (2021). Intraspecific competition for host resources in a parasite. Current Biology 31: 1344-1350. Nabity et al 2021 PDF

70. Baltrus, D.A., M. Clark, P.T. Humphrey & N.K. Whiteman (2020). Complete genome sequences for Pseudomonas sp. 29A and 43A. Microbiology Resource Announcements 9:e00845-20. Baltrus et al 2020 PDF

69. Humphrey, P.T. & N.K. Whiteman (2020). Insect herbivory reshapes a native leaf microbiome. Nature Ecology & Evolution 4:221-229. Humphrey & Whiteman 2020 PDF. See Current Biology dispatch on this article by Smetts and Koskella.

68. Karageorgi, M., S.C. Groen, K.I. Verster, J.M. Aguilar, F. Sumbul, A.P. Hastings, J.N. Peláez, S.L. Bernstein, T. Matsunaga, M. Astourian, G. Guerra, F. Rico, S. Dobler, A.A. Agrawal & N.K. Whiteman (2019). Genome editing retraces the evolution of toxin resistance in the monarch butterfly. Nature 574: 409-412. Karageorgi et al 2019 PDF. See also Carl Zimmer’s New York Times article.

67. Gloss, A.D., P. Abbot, N.K. Whiteman (2019). How interactions with plant chemicals shape insect genomes. Current Opinion in Insect Science 36:149-156. Gloss et al 2019 PDF

66. Verster, K.I., J.H. Wisecaver, R.P. Duncan, M. Karageorgi, A.D. Gloss, E. Armstrong, D.K. Price, A.R. Melon, Z.M. Ali, N.K. Whiteman (2019). Horizontal transfer of bacterial cytolethal distending toxin B genes to insects. Molecular Biology and Evolution 36: 2105-2110. Verster et al 2019 PDF

65. O’Connor, T.K., R.G. Laport & N.K. Whiteman (2019). Polyploidy in creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) shapes the distribution and diversity gradients of specialist herbivores. Journal of Biogeography 46:597-610. O’Connor et al 2019 PDF

64. Karageorgi, M., T. Matsunaga, & N.K. Whiteman (2018). Drosophila: Where the wild flies are. Current Biology [Dispatch article] 28: 1382-1384. Karageorgi et al 2018 PDF

63. Alexandre, N.M., P.T. Humphrey, J. Frazier, A.D. Gloss, J. Lee , H.A. Affeldt III & N.K. Whiteman (2018). Habitat preference of an herbivore shapes the habitat distribution of its host plant. Ecosphere 9: 1-10. Alexandre et al 2018 PDF

62. Giron, D., G. Dubreuil, A. Bennett, F. Dedeine, M. Dicke, L.A. Dyer, M. Erb, M.O. Harris, E. Huguet, I. Kaloshian, A. Kawakita, C. Lopez-Vaamonde, T.M. Palmer, T. Petanidou, M. Poulsen, A. Sallé, J-.C. Simon, J.S. Terblanche, D. Thiéry, N.K. Whiteman, H.A. Woods & S. Pincebourde (2018). Promises and challenges in insect–plant–microbe interactions. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 166: 319-343. Giron et al 2018 PDF

61. Humphrey, P.T.*, A.D. Gloss*, J Frazier, A.C. Nelson Dittrich, S. Faries & N.K. Whiteman (2018). Heritable plant phenotypes track light and herbivory levels at fine spatial scales. Oecologia 187: 427-445. *equal contribution. Humphrey et al 2018 PDF

60. Copetti, D., A. Búrquez, E. Bustamante, J. Charboneau, K.L. Childs, L.E. Equiarte, S. Lee, T.L. Liu, M.M. McMahon, N.K. Whiteman, R. Wing, M.F. Wojciechowski & M.J. Sanderson (2017). Genome evolution in North American columnar cacti was shaped by extensive gene tree discordance and hemiplasy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 114: 12003-12008 doi: 10.1073/pnas.1706367114. See also UC Berkeley news coverage. Copetti et al 2017 PDF

59. Groen, S.C., E.R. LaPlante, N.M. Alexandre, A.A. Agrawal, S. Dobler & N.K. Whiteman (2017). Multidrug transporters and organic anion transporting polypeptides protect insects against the toxic effects of cardenolides. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 81:51-61. Groen et al 2017 PDF

58. Gloss, A.D., S.C. Groen & N.K. Whiteman (2016). A genomic perspective on the generation and maintenance of biodiversity in herbivorous insects. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 47:165-187. Gloss et al 2016 PDF

57. Yule, K.M., J.A.H. Koop, N.M. Alexandre, L.R. Johnston & N.K. Whiteman (2016). Population genetic structure of a vector-borne plant parasite. Molecular Ecology 25: 3332-43. Yule et al 2016 PDF

56. Whiteman, N.K. and A.D. Gloss (2016). Taste for poison reevolves in fruit flies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 113: 4558–4560 [Commentary article for Yassin et al. 2016]. Whiteman & Gloss 2016 PDF

55. Humphrey, P.T., A.D. Gloss, N.M. Alexandre, M.M. Villalobos, S.C. Groen, M. Fremgen, L.N. Meihls, G. Jander & N.K. Whiteman (2016). Aversion and attraction to harmful plant secondary compounds jointly shape the foraging ecology of a specialist herbivore. Ecology and Evolution 6: 3256-3268. Humphrey et al 2016 PDF

54. Mandákova, T., A.D. Gloss, N.K. Whiteman & M.A. Lysak (2016). How diploidization turned a tetraploid into a pseudotriploid. American Journal of Botany 103:1-10. Mandákova et al 2016 PDF

53. Groen, S.C. & N.K. Whiteman (2016). Using Drosophila to study the evolution of herbivory and diet specialization. Current Opinion in Insect Science 14:66-72. Groen & Whiteman 2016 PDF

52. Whiteman, N.K. & A.D. Gloss (2016). Balancing selection: walking a tightrope. Current Biology [Dispatch article] 26:73-76. Whiteman & Gloss 2016 PDF

51. Groen, S.C., P.T. Humphrey, D. Chevasco, F.M. Ausubel, N.E. Pierce & N.K. Whiteman (2016). Pseudomonas syringae enhances herbivory by suppressing the reactive oxygen burst in Arabidopsis. Journal of Insect Physiology 84:90-102. Groen et al 2016 PDF

50. Wiens, J.J, R.T. Lapoint & N.K. Whiteman (2015). Herbivory increases diversification across insect clades. Nature Communications 6:8370. Wiens et al 2015 PDF

49. Goldman-Huertas, B., R.F. Mitchell, R.L. Lapoint, C.P. Faucher, J.G. Hildebrand & N.K. Whiteman (2015). Evolution of herbivory in Drosophilidae linked to loss of behaviors, antennal responses, odorant receptors and ancestral diet. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 112:3026-3031. Goldman-Huertas et al 2015 PDF. Cover feature and see commentary by Dweck et al. in the same issue).

48. Whiteman, N.K. (2014). Box 7.1. Coevolutionary Genomics. In: Mutualism (Editor: J. L. Bronstein). Oxford University Press. 111–114. Whiteman 2014 PDF

47. O’Connor, T.K., P.T. Humphrey, R.L. Lapoint, N.K. Whiteman & P.M. O’Grady (2014). Microbial interactions in the ecology and evolution of Hawaiian Drosophilidae. Frontiers in Microbiology 5:1-8. O’Connor et al 2014 PDF

46. Koop, J.A.H., K. DeMatteo, P.G. Parker & N.K. Whiteman (2014). Birds are islands for parasites. Biology Letters 10: 20140255. Koop et al 2014 PDF

45. Groen, S.C. & N.K. Whiteman (2014). The evolution of ethylene signaling in plant chemical ecology. Journal of Chemical Ecology 40:700-716. Groen & Whiteman 2014 PDF

44. Gloss, A.D., D.G. Vassao, A.L. Hailey, A.C. Nelson Dittrich, K. Schramm, M. Reichelt, T.J. Rast, A. Weichsel, M.G. Cravens, J. Gershenzhon, W.R. Monfort & N.K. Whiteman (2014). Evolution in an ancient detoxification pathway is coupled with a transition to herbivory in the Drosophilidae. Molecular Biology and Evolution 31:2441-2456. Gloss et al 2014 PDF

43. Humphrey, P.T., T.T. Nguyen, M.M. Villalobos & N.K. Whiteman (2014). Diversity and abundance of phyllosphere bacteria are linked to insect herbivory. Molecular Ecology (special issue on Nature’s Microbiome) 23:1497-1515. Humphrey et al 2014 PDF

42. Groen, S.C., N.K. Whiteman, A.K. Bahrami, A.M. Wilczek, J. Cui, J.A. Russell, A. Cibrian-Jaramillo, I.A.E. Butler, J. Rana, G.-H. Huang, J. Bush, F.M. Ausubel & N.E. Pierce (2013). Pathogen-triggered ethylene signaling mediates systemic induced susceptibility to herbivory in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 25:4755-4766. Groen et al 2013 PDF

41. Gloss, A.D., A.C. Nelson Dittrich, B. Goldman-Huertas & N.K. Whiteman (2013). Maintenance of genetic diversity through plant-herbivore interactions. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 16:443-450. Gloss et al 2013 PDF

40. Lapoint, R.T., P.M. O’Grady & N.K. Whiteman (2013). Diversification and dispersal of the Hawaiian Drosophilidae: Evolution of Scaptomyza. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 69:95-108. Lapoint et al 2013 PDF

39. Whiteman, N.K., A.D. Gloss, T.B. Sackton, S.C. Groen, P.T. Humphrey, R.T. Lapoint, I. Sønderby, B.A. Halkier, C. Kocks, F.A. Ausubel, & N.E. Pierce (2012). Genes involved in the evolution of herbivory by a leaf-mining drosophilid fly. Genome Biology and Evolution 4:900-916 [cover feature and selected by Faculty of 1000]. Whiteman et al 2012 PDF

38. Thaler, J.S., P.T. Humphrey, & N.K. Whiteman (2012). Evolution of jasmonate and salicylate signal cross-talk. Trends in Plant Science 17:260-270. Thaler et al 2012 PDF

37. Parker, P.G. & N.K. Whiteman (2012). Evolution of Pathogens and Parasites on the Galapagos Islands. In: Conservation of the Galapagos: A 50 Year Experience and Challenges for the Future (Editors: Matthias Wolff & Mark Gardener). Routledge, London. Parker & Whiteman 2012 PDF

36. Whiteman, N.K. & K.A. Mooney. Insects converge on resistance (2012). Nature 489:376-377. (News & Views). Whiteman & Mooney 2012 PDF

35. Lapoint, R. & N. Whiteman (2012). How a bird is an island. BMC Biology 10:53. (Commentary). Lapoint & Whiteman 2012 PDF

34. Whiteman, N.K. Co-infections and the third trophic level (2012). Functional Ecology 26:1-2. (Commentary). Whiteman 2012 PDF

33. Whiteman, N.K., S.C. Groen, D. Chevasco, N. Beckwith, T.R. Gregory, C. Denoux, N. Mammarella, F.M. Ausubel & N.E. Pierce (2011). Mining the plant-insect interface with a leafmining Drosophila of Arabidopsis. Molecular Ecology 20:995-1014. Whiteman et al 2011 PDF. Cover feature and subject of Perspectives Article in the same issue by D. Giron and E. Huguet.

32. Parker, P.G., E. Buckles, N.K. Whiteman, H. Farrington, K. Petren, J.L. Bollmer, G. Jimenez-Uzcategui (2011). 110 Years of Avipoxvirus in the Galapagos Islands. PLOSOne 6(1):e15989. Parker et al 2011 PDF

31. Whiteman, N.K. & Jander, G. (2010). Genome-enabled research on the ecology of plant-insect interactions. Plant Physiology 145:475-478. Whiteman & Jander 2010 PDF

30. Whiteman, N.K. & Gloss, A.D. (2010). Nematode debt to bacteria. Nature 468:641-642 (News & Views). Whiteman & Gloss 2010 PDF

29. Whiteman, N.K., V.S. Dosanjh, R.L. Palma, J.M. Hull, R.T. Kimball, P. Sánchez, J.H. Sarasola & P.G. Parker (2009). Molecular and morphological divergence in a pair of closely related birds and their ectoparasites. Journal of Parasitology 95:1372-1382. Whiteman et al 2009 PDF

28. Peters, M.B., N.K. Whiteman, C. Hagen, P.G. Parker & T.C. Glenn (2009). Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers isolated from the widespread avian louse Colpocephalum turbinatum (Phthiraptera: Amblycera: Menoponidae). Molecular Ecology Resources 9:910-912. Peters et al 2009a PDF

27. Peters, M.B., C. Hagen, N.K. Whiteman, P.G. Parker & T.C. Glenn (2009). Characterization of ten microsatellite loci in the avian louse, Degeeriella regalis (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Philopteridae). Molecular Ecology Resources 9:882-884. Peters et al 2009b PDF

26. Peters, M.D., Q-Y. Xiang, D.T. Thomas, J. Stucky & N.K. Whiteman (2009). Genetic analyses of the federally endangered Echinacea laevigata using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP): Inferences in population genetic structure and mating system. Conservation Genetics 10:1-14. Peters et al 2009c PDF

25. Whiteman, N.K. (2009). Box 16.5 Functional genetics and genomics. In: Conservation Biology for All (Editors: N.S. Sohdi & P.R. Ehrlich). Oxford University Press. Whiteman 2009 PDF

24. Whiteman, N.K. & N.E. Pierce (2008). Delicious poison: Genetics of Drosophila host plant preference. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 23:473-478. Whiteman & Pierce 2008 PDF

23. Troemel, E.R., M.-A. Félix, N.K. Whiteman, A. Barrière & F.M. Ausubel (2008). Microsporidia are natural intracellular parasites of the nematode C. elegans. PLoS Biology 6: e309 Troemel et al 2008 PDF. Featured in a Primer by J. Hodgkin and F.A. Partridge in the same issue of and a Research Highlights article by A. Jermy in the February 2009 issue of Nature Reviews Microbiology.

22. Whiteman, N.K. & R.W. Sites (2008). Aquatic insects as umbrella species for ecosystem protection in Death Valley National Park. Journal of Insect Conservation 12:499-509. Whiteman & Sites 2008 PDF

21.Hull, J.M., W. Savage, J.L. Bollmer, R.T. Kimball, P.G. Parker, N.K. Whiteman & H.B. Ernest (2008). On the origin of the Galápagos Hawk: An examination of phenotypic differentiation and mitochondrial paraphyly. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 95:779-789. Hull et al 2008 PDF

20. Santiago-Alarcon, D., N.K. Whiteman, P.G. Parker, R.E. Ricklefs & G. Valkiunas (2008). Patterns of parasite abundance and distribution in island populations of Galápagos endemic birds. Journal of Parasitology 94:584-590. Santiago-Alarcon et al 2008 PDF

19. Whiteman, N.K. (2008) Between a whale bone and the deep blue sea: The provenance of dwarf males in whale bone-eating tubeworms. Molecular Ecology 17:4395-4397. (Commentary). Whiteman 2008a PDF

18. Whiteman, N.K. (2008). Lousy heirlooms: Lice help illuminate the recent evolutionary history of an Australian bird. Heredity 101:105-106. (Commentary). Whiteman 2008b PDF

17. Whiteman, N.K., R.T. Kimball & P.G. Parker (2007). Co-phylogeography and comparative population genetics of the threatened Galápagos Hawk and three ectoparasite species: Ecology shapes population histories within parasite communities. Molecular Ecology 22:4759-4773 [cover feature]. Whiteman et al 2007 PDF

16. Merkel, J., H. Jones, N.K. Whiteman, N. Gottdenker, H. Vargas, E. K. Travis, R.E. Miller & P.G. Parker (2007). Microfilariae in Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) and Flightless cormorants (Phalacrocorax harrisi): Genetics, morphology and prevalence. Journal of Parasitology 93:495-503. Merkel et al 2007 PDF

15. Whiteman, N.K., K.D. Matson, J.L. Bollmer & P.G. Parker (2006). Disease ecology in theGalapagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis): Host genetic diversity, parasite load and natural antibodies. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 273:797-804 [cover feature]. Whiteman et al 2006a PDF

14. Bollmer, J.L., R.T. Kimball, N.K. Whiteman, J.H. Sarasola & P.G. Parker (2006). Phylogeography of the Galápagos Hawk (Buteo galapagoensis): A recent arrival to the Galápagos Islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39:237-247. Bollmer et al 2006 PDF

13. Whiteman, N.K., P. Sánchez, J. Merkel, H. Klompen & P.G. Parker (2006). Cryptic host specificity of an avian skin mite (Epidermoptidae) vectored by louseflies (Hippoboscidae) associated with two endemic Galápagos bird species. Journal of Parasitology 92:1218-1228. Whiteman et al 2006b PDF

12. Parker, P.G., N.K. Whiteman & E.R. Miller (2006). Conservation medicine on the Galápagos Islands: Partnering behavioral, population and veterinary scientists. Auk 123:625-638. Parker et al 2006 PDF

11. Padilla, L., N.K. Whiteman, J. Merkel, K.D. Huyvaert & P.G. Parker (2006). Health survey of seabirds on Isla Genovesa, Galápagos Islands. Ornithological Monographs 60:86-97. Padilla et al 2006 PDF

10. Whiteman, N.K. & P.G. Parker (2005). Using parasites to infer host population history: A new rationale for parasite conservation. Animal Conservation 8:175-181. Whiteman & Parker 2005 PDF

9. Whiteman, N.K., S.J. Goodman, B.J. Sinclair, T. Walsh, A.A. Cunningham, L.D. Kramer & P.G. Parker (2005). Establishment of the avian disease vector Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) on the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. Ibis 147:843-847. Whiteman et al 2005 PDF

8. Thiel, T., N.K. Whiteman, A. Tirapé, M. Ines Baquero, V. Cedeño, T. Walsh, G. Jimenez U. & P.G. Parker (2005). Characterization of canarypox-like viruses infecting endemic birds in the Galápagos Islands. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 41:342-353. Thiel et al 2005 PDF

7. Bollmer, J.L., N.K. Whiteman, M. Donaghy Cannon, J.C. Bednarz, T. de Vries & P.G. Parker (2005). Population genetic structure of the Galápagos Hawk: Genetic monomorphism within isolated populations. Auk 122:1210-1224. Bollmer et al 2005 PDF

6. Whiteman, N.K., D. Santiago-Alarcon, K.P. Johnson & P.G. Parker (2004). Differences in straggling rates between two genera of dove lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) reinforce population genetic and cophylogenetic patterns. International Journal for Parasitology 34:1113-1119. Whiteman et al 2004 PDF

5. Whiteman, N.K. & P.G. Parker (2004). Effects of host sociality on ectoparasite population biology. Journal of Parasitology 90:939-947. Whiteman & Parker 2004a PDF

4. Whiteman, N.K. & P.G. Parker (2004). Body condition and parasite load predict territory ownership in the Galápagos Hawk. Condor 106:916-922. Whiteman & Parker 2004b PDF

3. Whiteman, N.K. & R.W. Sites (2003). Lentic beetles of the Missouri Prairie Region: Habitat and regional associations, with keys to the Hydradephaga. Transactions of the American Entomological Society 129:185-243. Whiteman & Sites 2003 PDF

2. Whiteman, N. & R.W. Sites (2001). Aquatic Polyphaga (Coleoptera) state records from the Prairie Region of Missouri. Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 74:101-105. Whiteman & Sites 2001 PDF

1. Whiteman, N.K. & B.H.P. Landwer (2000). Parasitoids reared from Polistes (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) nests in Missouri, with a new state record of Elasmus polistis Burks (Hymenoptera: Elasmidae). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society 73:186-188. Whiteman & Landwer 2000 PDF

Media Interviews & Features

NPR Science Friday – Featured interview and book excerpt

KQED (NPR) Forum with Mina Kim – Discussing Most Delicious Poison

Futureproof Podcast – DiscussingMost Delicious Poison

This Podcast Will Kill You – Discussing Most Delicious Poison

Foodie Pharmacology Podcast with Dr. Cassandra Quave – Discussing Most Delicious Poison

Inquiring Minds with Indre Verma – Discussing Delicious Poison

Business Insider – Interview on poisonous houseplants

UC Berkeley Research News – Feature interview

Book Talks & Speaking Events

Normal L. Ford Science Literacy Lecture Series – Saint John’s University

The Providence Athenaeum Book Talk

Harvard Science Book Talk with Ryan Nett – Harvard University

UC Berkeley Library Book Talk – Morrison Library (March 5, 2025)

UC Botanical Garden Book Talk – UC Berkeley

Nerd Nite SF

KALX 90.7FM Fiat Lux Redux Radio Interview

Reviews & Recognition

The New York Times – “[Most Delicious Poison] feel[s] like a riveting lecture by a passionate professor.”

The Wall Street Journal – “The plants in Most Delicious Poison: The Story of Nature’s Toxins—From Spices to Vices come off as very smart, even cunning… a spirited debut.”

Current Biology – “Establishes [Whiteman] as a natural historian with great breadth and depth. He delivers a compendium of knowledge on plant poisons with fascinating details on their chemistry, physiological effects, ecology, and evolution.”

Evolution – “Most Delicious Poison shows how we are mere bystanders in chemical warfare between plants, microbes, fungi, animals, and the organisms that threaten them—a conflict almost as old as life itself.”

Nature – “The stories Whiteman chooses are often complex… but the author deftly navigates readers through nature’s chemical mazes… The author’s passion for his subject matter comes through on almost every page of Most Delicious Poison.”

Scientific American – “Biologist Noah Whiteman’s exacting yet expansive analysis reminds us that although they ‘permeate our lives in the most mundane and profound ways,’ the toxic chemicals we use every day are not nature’s gifts to us but rather its munitions.”

Publishers Weekly – “This amusing debut from Whiteman, an evolutionary biology professor at UC Berkeley, explores the ‘ways that toxins from nature arose, have been used by us humans and other animals, and have consequently changed the world.'”

Booklist – “Whiteman’s provocative volume will make the reader think differently about familiar substances like coffee, cayenne, and cocaine.”

The Spectator – “A kaleidoscope of facts and historical vignettes, both of how plant chemicals work, and how humans learned to harness some of them… Like balancing the dose of a drug, he goes just to the edge of ‘too technical’ and brings it back to comprehensible for the non-scientist.”

New Scientist – “Well worth a read. Spare the time to mull over each chapter for slightly longer than you might otherwise, if just to let the poison sink in.”

Daily Mail – “Most Delicious Poison is full of illuminating insights into the natural world and the plants that have shaped us.”

Science News – Selected as Top 20 Science Book of 2023 – “Pour a cup of herbal tea, add some drops of lavender oil to the diffuser and enjoy this mind-bending read.”

Kirkus Reviews – Awarded Kirkus Star and Best Nonfiction Book of 2023 – “A fascinating discussion of how nature’s toxins can affect us all.”

NPR Science Friday – Staff Pick for 2023