People

Head of the laboratory - Jack H. Neely Associate Professor

Gustavo is a biologist, who obtained his undergraduate and PhD degrees from the University of Sao Paulo, and had his postdoctoral training in the Center for Genomics and Systems Biology at New York University. His research interests revolve around the role of protein ubiquitination in cell fate, aging, and neurodegeneration. Gustavo has been inducted to the Bass Society of Fellows for excellence in research and teaching and has received the Deans Award for Excellence in Mentoring.

Beyond science, Gustavo enjoys listening to music, playing/watching soccer/combat sports, cooking and trying new flavors, and reading sociology. He tries to do at least three of the items at a time.

Scholars@Duke profile

contact: gustavo.silva[at]duke[dot]edu

Research Scientist/ Lab Manager

Blanche obtained her bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She is always exploring new interests but is currently working on the deubiquitinating enzyme Ubp2 and how it regulates translation during stress. She is considering obtaining her CCRP certification and transitioning into clinical research.

In her free time, Blanche enjoys reading, talking to her family, exploring new places, and watching her comfort TV shows.

contact: blanche.cizubu[at]duke[dot]edu

Postdoctoral fellow

Géssica received her bachelor’s in Biochemistry and her Master’s degree in Agricultural Microbiology from the Federal University of Viçosa. She obtained her PhD degree in Biological Chemistry from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Her current interest is to understand the role of ribosome ubiquitination in translation control under oxidative stress conditions.

Outside of the lab, Géssica enjoys going to the gym, watching movies and spending time with her family and friends.

contact: gessica.cabral.barros[at]duke[dot]edu

Collaborator (NIH F30 Predoctoral MD/PhD fellow)

Austin received his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and defended his PhD in Genetics & Genomics in the lab in 2024. He remains at Duke to complete his MD degree, and will soon pursue research-intensive residency programs in internal medicine and cardiology. He studies localized ubiquitin dynamics during stress in mammalian cells, and is ultimately interested in mechanisms of environmental stress on cardiovascular disease progression.

In his free time, Austin enjoys cooking, gymming, discovering new music, and going to concerts.

contact: austin.maduka[at]duke[dot]edu

Undergraduate Student

Jorge Mato started his undergraduate studies at the University of Havana and transferred to Duke University to finish his bachelor's degree in Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry and minoring in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. He is interested in emerging omics science like Proteomics and Metabolomics and how they can be used to get a deeper understanding of how cell regulate their processes as a whole.

In his free time, Jorge likes going social dancing in the Triangle salsa scene, rehearsing and performing with dance clubs on campus, travelling, and watching shows on Netflix and Hulu.

Undergraduate Student

Alyssa is a junior at Duke University, majoring in computer science and planning to pursue a career in medicine. With interests in both computer science and molecular biology, Alyssa takes an interdisciplinary approach to her research and is primarily focused on using computational methods to discover and understand translational regulation of cells. Alyssa’s goal as a future physician is to help technology shape the future of medicine by integrating it into her own practice.

In her free time, Alyssa enjoys attending concerts, traveling, reading, and hiking!

Contact: alyssa.estrada[at]duke[dot]edu

Undergraduate Student

Neil is a rising junior at Duke University, pursuing a major in neuroscience and a minor in computational biology/bioinformatics on the pre-medical track. He is currently interested in elucidating the key protein players and pathways involved in the ubiquitin-dependent mitophagy pathway, focusing on how ubiquitin ligases and autophagy receptors coordinate the recognition and clearance of dysfunctional mitochondria.

In his free time, he enjoys weightlifting, listening to music, and traveling.

Undergraduate Visiting Student

Yue is a rising junior undergraduate student at Wuhan University in China. Yue plans to pursue a career in the biomedical research in the future. Her current research interest focuses on the roles of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and its related interacting proteins in neural development. In Prof. Silva's lab, she is engaged in studying the pathogenic mechanisms of Nascimento syndrome.

In her free time, Yue enjoys traveling, watching movies, listening to music, and swimming.

Undergraduate Student

Rachel is a senior at Duke University, majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry and political science. Rachel plans to attend graduate school and pursue a career in biomedical research. She is interested in understanding processes and pathways that direct development and how their malfunction contributes to neurological and developmental disorders. At the Silva lab, she explores this in the context of X-linked intellectual disability type Nascimento.

In her free time, she loves to hike, read, do yoga, garden, and watch/tent for Duke basketball games!

contact: rachel[dot]field[at]duke[dot]edu

Visiting Scholar

Silas received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the State University of Campinas, Brazil, and is pursuing his master’s degree through the Program in Molecular and Morphofunctional Biology at the State University of Campinas. He is currently interested in how mutations in ubiquitin-related proteins can disrupt their structure and function, leading to the X-linked intellectual disability type Nascimento.

In his free time, Silas enjoys watching movies and series, listening to music, and spending time with his cat.