Research
Molecular and cellular and systems mechanisms of learning and memory
Appointments
- Distinguished Professor– Neurobiology, Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences and Psychology
- Director–Integrative Center for Learning and Memory
- Tennenbaum Center for the Biology of Creativity
- Brain Research Institute
- Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology GPB Home Area
- Neuroscience GPB Home Area
Biography
The Silva laboratory is studying the biology of learning and memory. They are interested in the molecular, cellular and circuit processes that underlie the allocation, encoding and storage of information. To accomplish this they are using a variety of techniques including sophisticated molecular and genetic approaches, optical physiology, optogenetics, in vivo imaging and behavioral analysis.
Silva and colleagues have also studied the impact of these mechanisms in animal models of cognitive disorders, including intellectual disabilities. Based on these mechanistic studies, they have developed treatments for Neurofibromatosis type I and Tuberous Sclerosis, that are currently being tested in clinical trials.
The Silva laboratory is also developing bioinformatic strategies for tracking and planning experiments (researchmaps.org).
Publications
- GBD 2023 Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence against Children Collaborators. Disease burden attributable to intimate partner violence against females and sexual violence against children in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023. Lancet. 2025; :. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(25)02503-6. PubMed PMID:41386261 .
- Lu, T, Chen, X, Sun, B, Dong, X, Yao, N, Chen, Y et al.. In-situ nano-reprecipitation enables superior cryogenic mechanical properties in a 3D printable medium-entropy alloy. Nat Commun. 2025; :. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-67279-2. PubMed PMID:41387446 .
- Santos, RPD, da Silva, AM, Silva, AR. Biobanking for Wildlife Conservation: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions in Preserving Caatinga's Vertebrate Germplasm. Biopreserv Biobank. 2025;23 (6):561-574. doi: 10.1177/19475535251397731. PubMed PMID:41384372 .
- Silva, A, Oliveira, R, Pontes, R, Filipe, C, Milheiro, A. Cerebrospinal Fluid Cutaneous Fistula Following Neuraxial Anesthesia in a Placenta Previa Case: A Rare Complication. Cureus. 2025;17 (11):e96511. doi: 10.7759/cureus.96511. PubMed PMID:41384211 PubMed Central PMC12695135.
- Soares, C, Canastra, A, Domingues, Â, Carvalho, AC, Martins, D, Sousa, P et al.. Inflammatory Bowel-Like Disease with Ileocolic and Perianal Involvement Induced by Ocrelizumab: A Case Report. Case Rep Gastroenterol. 2025;19 (1):754-760. doi: 10.1159/000549472. PubMed PMID:41384101 PubMed Central PMC12695118.