Patricia Pelufo Silveira

Dr Silveira’s research combines the Developmental Origins of Health & Disease (DOHaD) theory with the Life Course Theory (LCT); both are emerging fields of research that have significant implications for public health and illness prevention. Her research focuses on how perinatal and early-childhood environments can shape and modulate both health and disease across the lifespan, into old age. Her aim is to identify genetic/epigenetic markers that interact with environmental adversities in childhood, modifying behaviours (impulsivity, sensitivity to reward, food choices) that ultimately affect healthy growth and neurodevelopment and increasing an individual’s risk for developing chronic diseases and mental illnesses as they age.

Dr Silveira created a biologically informed methodology, expression-based Polygenic Risk Scores (ePRS). Her unique approach focuses on gene networks, rather than individual genes or single-genetic-variations, and enables the exploitation of underutilised genetic data collected by most studies exploring the impact of early life adversities. She has published seven ePRSs elucidating how metabolic mechanisms (serotonin, insulin, dopamine, leptin, glutamate, etc.) in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala influence the development of specific psychiatric traits. Underscoring the importance of this novel methodology, in the last year alone, Dr Silveira has received over 50 requests to develop ePRSs for other studies

Publications & Impact Profile

To learn more about Dr Silveira:

• Read her biographical sketch 
• Read the article: Meet Dr Patricia Pelufo Silveira
• Read about her latest publications
• Visit her Google Scholar page for a list of publications
• Visit her Research Gate  for ongoing research.
• Subscribe to one of the Ludmer Centre’s social media sites for updates.