2024 was a great year for African Anopheles genomics. Many long labours all converged to produce a bumper crop of new research papers which have redefined our understanding of major malaria vector species and how they are evolving. Here is a selection of papers published last year, all of which made use of or generously contributed data to the Malaria Vector Genome Observatory.

Clara Rehmann et al. published Evaluating evidence for co-geography in the Anopheles–Plasmodium host–parasite system.

Luna Kamua et al. published The Anopheles coluzzii range extends into Kenya: detection, insecticide resistance profiles and population genetic structure in relation to conspecific populations in West and Central Africa.

Andrzej Pastusiak et al. published A metagenomic analysis of the phase 2 Anopheles gambiae 1000 genomes dataset reveals a wide diversity of cobionts associated with field collected mosquitoes.

Sanjay Nagi et al. published Parallel evolution in mosquito vectors - a duplicated esterase locus is associated with resistance to pirimiphos-methyl in Anopheles gambiae.

Jorge Amaya Romero et al. published Mitochondrial variation in Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii: phylogeographic legacy and mitonuclear associations with metabolic resistance to pathogens and insecticides.

Rob McCann et al. posted the preprint Variation in spatial population structure in the Anopheles gambiae species complex.

Beniamino Caputo et al. published Population genomic evidence of a putative ‘far-west’ African cryptic taxon in the Anopheles gambiae complex.

Mahamadi Kientega et al. published Whole-genome sequencing of major malaria vectors reveals the evolution of new insecticide resistance variants in a longitudinal study in Burkina Faso.

Tristan Dennis et al. published Cryptic population structure and insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae from the southern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Naomi Dyer et al. published Mechanisms of transcriptional regulation in Anopheles gambiae revealed by allele-specific expression.

Joel Odero et al. published Discovery of knock-down resistance in the major African malaria vector Anopheles funestus.

Sophia Mwinyi et al. posted the preprint Genomic analysis reveals a new cryptic taxon of malaria vectors with a distinct insecticide resistance profile in the coast of East Africa.

Brian Polo et al. posted the preprint Genomic surveillance reveals geographical heterogeneity and differences in known and novel insecticide resistance mechanisms in Anopheles arabiensis across Kenya.

Eric Lucas et al. published Copy number variants underlie major selective sweeps in insecticide resistance genes in Anopheles arabiensis.

Rounding off the year in style, Marilou Bodde and Joachim Nwezeobi posted the preprint Genomic diversity of the African malaria vector Anopheles funestus.

There are a load more great papers in the works from these and other groups, so I’m looking forward to 2025, Happy New Year!