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Staff Profile

Dr Ellen Silva

Research Associate

  • Email: ellen.silva@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: Translational and Clinical Research Institute
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Clinical Ageing Research Unit
    Campus for Ageing and Vitality
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE4 5PL
Background

I have received my Degree in Physical Education in 2009 from Sao Paulo State University, Brazil.

I was awarded my Master's Degree in Movement Sciences in 2012 from Sao Paulo State University, Brazil.

In 2018 I completed my PhD in Movement Science with emphasis in Neuroscience and Rehabilitation (Sao Paulo State University, Brazil). My thesis focused on understanding the correlations between gait and cognition and the effects of exercise (specific dance) on gait and cognition of patients with Parkinson's disease. During my PhD I set up and managed a big RCT involving the effects of exercise on patients with Parkinson's disease.

In 2020/2021 I has a postdoc position at Oregon Healthy and Science University in the Balance Disorders Laboratory led by Dr Fay Horak, Dr Laurie King and Dr Martina Mancine. My research involved the investigation of saccade and fixation eye movements during walking in people with mild traumatic brain injury.

In 2021, I am a Research Associate at the Translational and Clinical Research Institute (Newcastle University). I have been working in a project aiming to identify novel plasma biomarkers (ghrelin) of dementia in humans and, also, on IDEA-FAST, an European consortium that aims to identify digital endpoints to assess fatigue and sleep in neurodegenerative disorders and Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.



Research
My research interests include approaches to understand the underlying mechanisms of gait and cognitive impairments in older adults with and without neurological diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease and mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)) and; develop enhanced therapeutic strategies for functional capacity (especially gait and balance), cognition and quality of life. Specifically, I have experience in working with people with dementia/cognitive impairment, including the application of a broad range of clinical and cognitive tests and the coordination of clinical trials. I also have experience on the recruitment of participants, intervention design and conduction, ethics application, data base management and paper preparation/submission.
Teaching
2018-2019 Part-time Lecturer (Module: Gymnastics) – Physical Education (undergraduate course); Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil.
2013-2019 Part-time Lecturer (Module: Rhythmic Gymnastics) – Physical Education (undergraduate course); FHO Uniararas, Brazil.
2018-2019 Part-time Lecturer (Module: Swimming) - Physical Education (undergraduate course); FHO Uniararas, Brazil.
2014-2014 Part-time Lecturer (Module: Methodology of Games) - Physical Education (undergraduate course); FHO Uniararas, Brazil.
2013-2017 Part-time Lecturer (Module: Artistic Gymnastic) - Physical Education (undergraduate course); FHO Uniararas, Brazil.
Publications