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College of Pharmacy

College of Pharmacy

Faculty Profile

Tomaz da Silva HeadshotMeiricris Tomaz Da Silva

Research Scientist
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Office: 
University of Houston College of Pharmacy
Health 2, Room 5009
4349 Martin Luther King Boulevard
Houston, TX 77204-5037

Contact: mtomazdasilva@uh.edu

Research:

My research is organized around two major areas of skeletal muscle biology. First, I investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms that govern satellite cell self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation during skeletal muscle regeneration. This line of work focuses on conditions that impair regenerative capacity, such as muscular dystrophies and Marfan syndrome. Second, I study how muscle mass and function are regulated in catabolic conditions including cancer cachexia, denervation, and aging. In this context, I aim to identify inflammatory and metabolic signaling pathways that drive muscle wasting and to discover targets that could prevent or reverse atrophy. My experimental approach combines genetic mouse models, cell and tissue analysis, and molecular biology techniques. Together, these research directions support the development of therapeutic strategies for muscle repair and preservation.

 

  • B.S. in Physical Therapy, Methodist University of Piracicaba, Brazil
  • M.S. in Physical Therapy, Methodist University of Piracicaba, Brazil
  • Ph.D. in Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP), Brazil
  • Research Training, Stanford University School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences
  • Research Internship Abroad (Postdoctoral Fellow), University of Minnesota, Department of Pediatrics and Lillehei Heart Institute
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, University of São Paulo, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Anatomy
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship, University of Houston, Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Google Scholar Profile
Research Publications
  • Tomaz da Silva M, Roy A, Joshi AS... Kumar A, The TWEAK/Fn14 signaling mediates skeletal muscle wasting during cancer cachexia. iScience, 28, 112714, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2025.112714.
  • Tomaz da Silva M, Joshi AS, Kumar A. Fibroblast growth factor-inducible 14 regulates satellite cell self-renewal and expansion during skeletal muscle repair. JCI Insight, 10(5):e187825, 2025. PMID: 39874107. PMCID: PMC11949035.
  • Joshi AS*, Tomaz da Silva M*, Roy A*, Koike TE, Wu M, Castillo M, Gunaratne PH, Liu Y, Iwawaki T, Kumar A. The IRE1α/XBP1 signaling axis drives myoblast fusion in adult skeletal muscle. EMBO Reports, 25: 3627 – 3650, 2024. PMID: 38982191; PMCID: PMC11316051. *Equal contribution – co-first authors.
  • Tomaz da Silva M, Joshi AS, Castillo MB, Koike TE, Roy A, Gunaratne P, Kumar A. Fn14 promotes myoblast fusion during regenerative myogenesis. Life Science Alliance, 9; 6(12): e202302312, 2023. PMID: 37813488; PMCID: PMC10561765.
  • Roy A, Koike TE, Joshi AS, Tomaz da Silva M, Mathukumalli K, Wu M, Kumar A. Targeted regulation of TAK1 counteracts dystrophinopathy in a DMD mouse model. JCI Insight, 8(10):e164768, 2023. PMID: 37071470; PMCID: PMC10322678.
  • Tomaz da Silva M#, Santos AR, Koike TE, Nascimento TL, Rozanski A, Bosnakovski D, Pereira LV, Kumar A, Kyba M, Miyabara EH#. The fibrotic niche impairs satellite cell function and muscle regeneration in mouse models of Marfan syndrome. Acta Physiol (Oxf), 27:e13889, 2022. PMID: 36164969. # - Co-correspondent authors
  • Tomaz da Silva M, Joshi AS, Koike TE, Roy A, Mathukumalli K, Sopariwala D, Narkar V, Kumar A. Target ablation of Fn14 receptor improves exercise capacity and inhibits neurogenic muscle atrophy. The FASEB Journal, 36(12): e22666, 2022. PMID: 36412933; PMCID: PMC10587854.
  • Roy A, Tomaz da Silva M, Bhat R, Bohnert KR, Iwawaki T, Kumar A. The IRE1/XBP1 signaling axis promotes skeletal muscle regeneration through a cell non-autonomous mechanism. eLife, 10:e73215, 2021. PMID: 34812145; PMCID: PMC8635982.
  • Bosnakovski D, Shams AS, Yuan CE, Tomaz da Silva M, Ener ET, Baumann CW, Lindsay AJ, Verma M, Asakura A, Lowe DA, Kyba M. Transcriptional and cytopathological hallmarks of FSHD in chronic DUX4-expressing mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 130: 2465-2477, 2020. PMID: 32250341; PMCID: PMC7190912.
  • Bosnakovski D, Tomaz da Silva M, Sunny ST, Ener ET, Toso EA, Yuan A, Cui Z, Walters MA, Jadhav A, Kyba M. A novel P300 inhibitor reverses DUX4-mediated global histone hyperacetylation, target gene expression and cell death. Science Advances, 5(9):eaaw7781, 2019. PMID: 31535023; PMCID: PMC6739093.
  • Tomaz da Silva M, Nascimento TL, Pereira MG, Siqueira AS, Brum PC, Jaeger RG, Miyabara EH. β2-Adrenoceptor is involved in connective tissue remodeling in regenerating muscles by decreasing the activity of MMP-9. Cell and Tissue Research, 365: 173-186, 2016. PMID: 26896238.
  • Pereira MG, Tomaz da Silva M, Da Cunha FM, Moriscot AS, Aoki MS, Miyabara EH. Leucine supplementation improves regeneration of skeletal muscles from old rats. Experimental Gerontology, 72: 269-277, 2015. PMID: 26481769.
  • Tomaz da Silva M, Wensing LA, Brum PC, Câmara NO, Miyabara EH. Impaired structural and functional regeneration of skeletal muscles from β2-adrenoceptor knockout mice. Acta Physiologica (Print), 211: 617-633, 2014. PMID: 24938737; PMCID: PMC4660878.
  • Conte TC, Silva LH, Tomaz da Silva M, Hirabara SM, Oliveira AC, Curi R, Moriscot AS, Aoki MS, Miyabara EH. The β2-Adrenoceptor agonist formoterol improves structural and functional regenerative capacity of skeletal muscles from aged rat at the early stages of postinjury. The Journals of Gerontology Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 67(5): 443-455, 2012. PMID: 22113942.
  • Silva LH*, Tomaz da Silva M*, Gutierrez RM, Conte TC, Toledo CA, Aoki MS, Liebano RE, Miyabara EH. GaAs 904 - nm laser irradiation improves myofiber mass recovery during regeneration of skeletal muscle previously damaged by crotoxin. Lasers in Medical Science, 27: 993-1000, 2012. PMID: 22143119. *Equal contribution – co-first authors
  • Miyabara EH, Conte TC, Tomaz da Silva M, Baptista IL, Bueno Junior CR, Fiamoncini J, Lambertucci RH, Serra CS, Brum PC, Pithon-Curi TC, Curi R, Aoki MS, Oliveira AC, Moriscot AS. Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 is involved in differentiation of regenerating myofibers in vivo. Muscle & Nerve, 42(5): 778-787, 2010.

Awards & Honors

  • Oral Presentation Award - 2nd Place, Research Symposium, Dept. of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, 2023
  • Research Fellowship, FAPESP -Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo, Brazil (#2014/13874-1), 2015-2019
  • International Research Fellowship (BEPE), FAPESP - Research Internships Abroad, University of Minnesota (#2017/14115-5), 2017-2018
  • Best Doctoral Thesis Nominee, CAPES Thesis Award, Morphofunctional Sciences Graduate Program, Brazil, 2015
  • Ph.D. Fellowship, FAPESP (#2009/54240-7), 2010-2014
  • Honorable Mention - "Role of β2-adrenergic receptor in skeletal muscle regeneration" - Morphofunctional Science Symposium, USP, 2010
  • Honorable Mention - "Effect of GaAs laser on muscle regeneration" - FeSBE Annual Meeting, 2010
  • Master's Fellowship, PROSUP/CAPES, Brazil, 2007-2009
  • Undergraduate Scientific Initiation Fellowship, FAPIC, Methodist University of Piracicaba (#21405), 2005-2006