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
- NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery. 30-day postoperative mortality and the effects of hospital preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic: a pooled analysis of prospective international cohort studies. Lancet Reg Health Eur. 2026;62 :101566. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2025.101566. PubMed PMID:41648988 PubMed Central PMC12870846.
- Da Silva, AC, Flantzer, L, Weinberg, J, Kyu, S, Daley-Bauer, L, Santana, AC et al.. Microbiome-Derived Metabolites Shape CD4⁺ T-Cell Differentiation and Immune Aging in Chronic HIV-1 Infection. bioRxiv. 2026; :. doi: 10.64898/2026.01.13.699280. PubMed PMID:41648363 PubMed Central PMC12871317.
- Okuma, MAA, da Silva, AGM, Helito, CP. Patient Acceptable Symptom State Thresholds for the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale in Patients After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Orthop J Sports Med. 2025;13 (10):23259671251383142. doi: 10.1177/23259671251383142. PubMed PMID:41647753 PubMed Central PMC12868573.
- Silva, AB, Lebani, BR, Pinto, ER, Silva, LT, Gouveia, DS, de Lima, H et al.. The impact of vaporization on adenoma weight in benign prostatic hyperplasia surgery. BJUI Compass. 2026;7 (2):e70171. doi: 10.1002/bco2.70171. PubMed PMID:41647485 PubMed Central PMC12872109.
- da Veiga Correia, VT, Silva, NHA, Fronza, P, Vieira, ALS, da Silva, ALMN, Costa, IM et al.. Biodegradable bioactive films based on sorghum starch and glycerol incorporated with jabuticaba (Plinia cauliflora) and jambolan (Syzygium cumini) peels extracts. Int J Biol Macromol. 2026; :150744. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.150744. PubMed PMID:41643962 .