Lara do Amaral Silva, Assistant Professor of Biology
Assistant Professor of Biology
Education
Ph.D., São Paulo State University/University of North Texas 2016-2020
MS, São Paulo State University 2014-2016
BS, University of Western São Paulo 2009- 2013
Postdoctoral fellow, University of Missouri/University of North Carolina at Greensboro 2020-2023
Lab Website: 🌎 https://amaralsilvalab.sites.wfu.edu 🌎
Areas of Interest
Neurophysiology, Neurobiology, Comparative physiology
Research
The Amaral-Silva Lab investigates physiological mechanisms that allow animals to withstand stressors that would otherwise lead to major health issues in humans, particularly metabolic challenges to the brain. Most of our current work explores the metabolic adaptations that neurons in birds—the most energetically expensive vertebrates—employ to overcome energetic stress. We use an integrative approach to answer our questions, which includes studying the electrical properties of neurons using patch-clamp electrophysiology, conducting behavioral experiments to investigate cognitive function in vivo, using microscopy to visualize specific targets, and performing qPCR to measure gene expression in brain tissue and in single neurons.
Mentoring
In the mission of mentoring the next generation of scientists and professionals, the Amaral-Silva lab currently has two PhD students and four undergraduate students. We are always on the watch for new talented undergraduate and graduate students. If you are interested, please reach out (doamaral@wfu.edu)
Programs
Dr. Amaral Silva’s background allows her to deeply understand the challenges faced by certain student populations in pursuing a degree and remaining in academia. She actively supports several programs designed to welcome and create more opportunities for dedicated students. She is a BRAINS fellow, a FASEB lead mentor, and partners with the Wake Forest Office of Personal and Career Development to offer valuable opportunities to students.
Teaching
Neurobiology – Undergraduate BIO346, Graduate BIO646
Neurobiology Lab – Undergraduate BIO346L, Graduate BIO646L
Publications
Amaral-Silva, L. † and Santin, J. M. Neural processing without O2 and glucose delivery: lessons from the pond to the clinic. Physiology. 2024. doi: 10.1152/physiol.00030.2023
† Correspondent author
Bueschke, N.*; Amaral-Silva, L.*; Hu, M.; Alvarez, A.; Santin, J. M. Plasticity in the functional properties of NMDA receptors improves network stability during severe energy stress. The Journal of Neuroscience. 2024. doi: https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0502-23.2024
* Authors made equal contributions
Souza, L. F. A.; Almeida, E. A.; Amaral-Silva, L.; Nogueira, B. G. R.; Espinha, L. P.; Lunedo, R.; Furlan, R. L.; Macari, M. Effect of hypercapnia during incubation and broiler breeder age on development of the gastrointestinal tract in embryos and hatchlings. Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1806-9061-2023-1810
Amaral-Silva, L.; Santin, J. M. Molecular profiling of CO 2 /pH-sensitive neurons in the locus coeruleus of bullfrogs reveals overlapping noradrenergic and glutamatergic cell identity. Comparative Biochemistry & Physiology part A, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111453
Amaral-Silva, L.†; Santin, J. M. Synaptic modifications transform neural networks to function without oxygen. BMC Biology, 2023. doi: 10.1186/s12915-023-01518-0.
† Correspondent author
Pellizzari, S.; Hu M.; Amaral-Silva, L.; Saunders, S.; Santin, J. Firing rate homeostasis through variable co-expression of feedback mechanisms that sense distinct aspects of activity. Plos Biology, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001971.
Zubov, T.; Amaral-Silva, L.; Santin, J. Inactivity and Ca2+ signaling regulate synaptic compensation in motoneurons following hibernation in American bullfrogs. Scientific Reports, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15525-8.
Cristina-Silva, C.*; Amaral-Silva, L.*; Santos, K. M.; Cândido Silva, W.; Corrêa, G. M.; Almeida, M. C.; Gargaglioni, L. H.; Bícego, K. C. Cutaneous TRPV4 channels activate warmth-defense responses in Young and adult birds. Frontiers in Physiology, 2022. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.892828.
* Authors made equal contributions
Amaral-Silva, L.†; Santin, J. M. A brainstem preparation allowing simultaneous access to respiratory motor output and cellular properties of motoneurons in American bullfrog. Journal of Experimental Biology, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.244079.
†Correspondent author
Amaral-Silva, L.†; Silva, W. C.; Gargaglioni, L. H; Steiner, A.; Bícego, K. C. Metabolic trade-offs favor regulated hypothermia and inhibit fever in immune-challenged chicks. Journal of Experimental Biology, 2022. DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243115.
†Correspondent author
***Editorial “Inside JEB” – Journal of Experimental Biology, DOI:10.1242/jeb.244113
Bueschke, N.*; Amaral-Silva, L.*; Adams, S.; Santin, J. M. Transforming a neural circuit to function without oxygen and glucose delivery, 2021. Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.003.
* Authors made equal contributions
Bueschke, N.*; Amaral-Silva L.*; Hu, M., Santin, J. M. Lactate ions induce synaptic plasticity to enhance output from the central respiratory network, 2021. The Journal of Physiology, DOI: 10.1113/JP282062.
* Authors made equal contributions.
***Editor’s choice – The Journal of Physiology, volume 599, issue 24 https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14697793/2021/599/24
Amaral-Silva, L.†; Rojas-Antich, M. C.; Dubansky, B.; Tazawa, H. Burggren, W. W. Embryotoxicity and physiological compensation in chicken embryos exposed to crude oil. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry,2021. DOI: 10.1002/etc.5105.
†Correspondent author
Amaral-Silva, L.†; Gargaglioni, L. H.; Steiner, A. A.; Oliveira, M. T.; Bícego, K. C. Regulated hypothermia in response to endotoxin in birds. The Journal of Physiology, 2021. DOI: 10.1113/JP281385.
†Correspondent author
***Cover of The Journal of Physiology, volume 599, number 11, 1 June 2021.
Bautista, N. M.; Amaral-Silva, L.; Dzialowski E.; Burggren, W. W. Dietary exposure to low levels of crude oil affects physiological and morphological phenotype in adults and their offspring in the king quail (Coturnix chinensis). Frontiers in Physiology, 2021. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.661943.
Amaral-Silva, L.†; Burggren, W. W.; Bícego, K. C. Metabolic and Hematological Responses to Endotoxin-Induced Inflammation in Chicks Experiencing Embryonic TCDD Exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 2020. DOI: 10.1002/etc.4832.
†Correspondent author
Amaral-Silva, L.; Lambertz, M.; Zara, F. J.; Klein, W.; Gargaglioni, L. H.; Bícego, K. C. Parabronchial remodeling in chicks in response to embryonic hypoxia. Journal of Experimental Biology, 2019. DOI: 10.1242/Jeb.197970.
Gargaglioni, L.; Amaral-Silva, L.; Da Silva, G. S. F.; Bícego, K. C. Fisiologia do sistema respiratório (Resiratory System Physiology). In: Marcos Macari; Alex Maiorka. (Org.). Fisiologia das aves comerciais (Commercial Avian Physiology). 1ed. Jaboticabal-SP: FUNEP, 2017, v. 1, p. 74-98.
Amaral-Silva, L.; Scarpellini, C. S.; Toro-Velasquez, P. A.; Fernandes, M.H.M.R.; Gargaglioni, L. H.; Bícego, K. C. Hypoxia during embryonic development increases energy metabolism in normoxic juvenile chicks. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A – Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 2017. https://Doi.Org/10.1016/J.Cbpa.2017.03.002.