Maria Catarina Silva

Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School

   & Massachusetts General Hospital

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My group’s primary research goal is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying CNS proteinopathies and neurodegenerative diseases caused by aberrant protein accumulation in the brain. We focus on the development and characterization of patient-specific, stem cell-derived neuronal models—particularly for tauopathies such as Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)—to identify early molecular and biochemical changes associated with disease and to uncover novel therapeutic targets.

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These patient-derived neuronal models also serve as a powerful platform for testing small-molecule modifiers of disease-relevant phenotypes within drug discovery pipelines. My group works with multiple series of small molecules that have shown efficacy in rescuing tauopathy-related phenotypes, with the ultimate aim of identifying disease-modifying therapies.

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We are fortunate to conduct this work within the collaborative and translational research environment of MGH/Harvard, and to engage closely with patient-centered organizations such as the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), CurePSP and the Tau Consortium, whose support and leadership continue to advance efforts to treat diseases like FTD and Alzheimer’s disease.