Carnegie Mellon University

Gloria Silva

Gloria Silva

Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry

  • Doherty Hall 1318
  • 412-268-9387

Education

1984–1988 Ph.D., Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
1981-1983 Pharmacist, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
1977-1981 B.Sc. Chemistry, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba

Research

Areas of Specialty

Bioorganic Chemistry; fluorescent dyes synthesis; peptides and peptide nucleic acids synthesis; molecular recognition of DNA and G quadruplexes. Natural product chemistry; bioactive natural products; separation and purification methods; spectroscopic analysis and structural elucidation.

Projects

Teaching Interests

Courses taught at Carnegie Mellon University: Organic Chemistry I and II; Laboratory II; Advanced Organic Chemistry; Bioactive Natural Products; Molecular Tools for Chemical and Biological Studies; The Illusion and Magic of Food; The Design and Making of Skin and Hair Products; Grand Challenge Seminar: Feeding the Word, Feeding Ourselves.

Courses taught at Córdoba National University, Argentina: Organic Chemistry I and III; Organic Synthesis; Bioorganic Chemistry; Pre-professional Laboratory Practice; Pre-Requisite courses -Supervisor-.

Brief Description Teaching Activities

My teaching interests are related to the Organic Chemistry field with emphasis on Synthesis, Natural Product Chemistry and allied fields. I am currently teaching the following undergraduate courses in the fall: Organic Chemistry I (09217), Molecular Tools for Chemical and Biological Studies (09122), and the Illusion and Magic of Food (09108). Since the spring of 2019 I co-teach two new courses, one of them is the interdisciplinary freshmen seminar Feeding the World, Feeding Ourselves (66199/38119) in Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences; and a mini laboratory course titled The Design and Making of Skin and Hair Products (09110) available to all students on campus.

My approach to teaching and curriculum development is strongly geared by my research experience and its practical application to fields of interest such as pharmacy, medicine, food industry and research. The design of my courses evolves from a practical view of the subject matter where I connect the theoretical concepts. I am interested in conveying the student the relevance of chemistry to biology, medicine, food, and its impact to our everyday life.

Publications

I authored and co-authored about 30 peer reviewed publications in the Natural Products and Bioorganic fields; one patent, two book chapters and about 30 presentations at scientific meetings. Selected publications are as follows:

Blue fluorescent dye-protein complexes based on fluorogenic cyanine dyes and single chain antibody fragments
Kimberly J. Zanotti; Gloria L. Silva; Yehuda Creeger; Kelly L. Robertson; Alan S. Waggoner; Peter B. Berget; Bruce A. Armitage. (2011) Org. Biomol. Chem. 9, 1012-1020.

Antigungal Activity of Heterothalamus alienus Metabolites
Adriana del V. Pacciaroni; María de los Angeles Gette; Marcos Derita; Luis Ariza-Espinar; Roberto R. Gil; Susana A. Zacchino; Gloria L. Silva. (2008) Phytother. Res. 22, 524-528.

Synthesis of New Fluorogenic Cyanine Dye and Incorporation into RNA Fluoromodules
T. Constantin; G.L. Silva; K.L. Robertson; T.P. Hamilton; K.M. Fague; A.S. Waggoner; B.A. Armitage. (2008) Organic Lett., 10, 1561-1564.

Experimental and computational investigation of unsymmetrical cyanine dyes: Understanding torsionally responsive fluorogenic dyes
Gloria L. Silva; Volkan Ediz; David Yaron; Bruce A. Armitage. (2007) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 129, 5710-5718.

Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activities of Misodendrum punctulatum, Myzodendrone and Structurally Related Phenols
C. Desmarchelier, A. del V. Pacciaroni, D. Abate-Daga, J. Coussio, R.R. Gil, and G.L. Silva. (2005) Phytother. Res., 19, 1043-1047.

Pervilleine A, a novel Tropane Alkaloid that Reverses the Multidrug-Resistance Phenotype
Q. Mi, B. Cui, G.L. Silva, D. Lantvit, E. Lin, H. Chai, M. You, M.G. Hollingshead, J.G. Mayo, A.D. Kinghorn, J.M. Pezzuto. (2001) Cancer Res., 61, 4030-4037.

Modulation of the Multidrug-Resistance Phenotype by New Tropane Alkaloid Aromatic Esters from Erythroxylum pervillei.
G.L. Silva, B. Cui, D. Chavez, M. You, H.-B. Chai, P. Rosoanaivo, S.M. Lynn, M.J. O’Neill, J.A. Lewis, J.M. Besterman, A. Monks, N.R. Farnsworth, G.A. Cordell, J.M. Pezzuto, A. Kinghorn. (2001) J. Nat. Prod., 64, 1514-1520.

DNA-Templated formation of a Helical Cyanine Dye J-Aggregate
Miaomiao Wang, Gloria L. Silva and Bruce A. Armitage. (2000) J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 122, 9977-9986.

Novel Cytotoxic Ring-A-Seco-Cycloartane Triterpenes from Gardenia coronaria and G. sootepensis
G.L. Silva, R.R. Gil, B. Cui, H. Chai, T. Santisuk, K. Srisook, V. Reutrakul, P. Tuchinda, S. Sophasan, S. Sujarit, S. Upathan, S.M. Lynn, J.E. Farthing, S.-L. Yang, J.A. Lewis, M.J. O’Neill, N.R. Farnsworth, G.A. Cordell, J.M. Pezzuto and A.D. Kinghorn. (1997) Tetrahedron, 53, 529-538.

Stimulants and Inhibitors of Psilostachyinolide Production in Callus Culture
Gloria L. Silva and Marta E. Goleniowski. (1994) J. Nat. Prod., 57, 225-229.

Appointments

Years Position
2019–present Associate Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University
2011–2019 Assistant Teaching Professor, Carnegie Mellon University
2007–2011 Research Chemist/Lecturer, Carnegie Mellon University
2002–2007 Visiting Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University
2001–2002 Assistant Professor, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
2000–2001 Special Faculty, Carnegie Mellon University
1999–2000 Assistant Professor, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
1995–1999 Instructor, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
1993–1995 Research Assistant, University of Illinois at Chicago
1989–1995 Postdoctoral Fellow, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
1990 Visiting Professor, Universidad Nacional de Catamarca
1988 Visiting Professor, Universidad Nacional de Catamarca

Other Academic Appointments

Years Position
1998–2001 Investigator, Field: Organic Chemistry; Institution: Argentinean Research Council (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnologicas –CONICET-)

Activities

Years Activity and Title
2019 Taught: Food Curiosities Explained for OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute
2019 80th COVESTRO Pittsburgh Regional Science and Energy Fair, 3/28/19
2018 Intel ISEF, Pittsburgh, Finals
2014–current Board member of the Academic Review Board and University Disciplinary Committee; Title IX trained
2017, 2018 Scientific Judge Southwest Pennsylvania Science Bowl (WPA-NETL) regional
2017–current Outreach Workshop K-3. Gelfand Center for Service Learning and Outreach
2015–current Scientific Judge Conrad Spirit of Innovation, US (NASA) and Australia
2012–2017 Corresponding Secretary Sigma Xi. The Scientific Research Society, CMU chapter
2015 Judge Intel ISEF – Special Award Organization, Sigma Xi. Pittsburgh. Finals
2013–2014 Member at large of the Faculty Executive Committee
2012–2014 Senator representing the Faculty of the Chemistry Department
2012–2014 Member of the University Student Affairs Council

Member of: Faculty Award Committee (2018); Senior Leadership Recognition Review Committee (2017-2019); Student Commencement Speaker Committee (2017); Staff Recognition Committee (2012-2014)

Awards and Distinctions

Years Award or Distinction
2018, 2017, 2009 Alpha Chi Omega invitation in recognition to my impact in their lives, Carnegie Mellon University
2012 Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council Role Model Reception, Carnegie Mellon University
2008 Kappa Alpha Theta nomination in recognition to my contribution to their education, Carnegie Mellon University
2000 Premio Felix de Azara, Universidad de Buenos Aires. (Best original research work)
1998, Jan.–Feb. Fellow of the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional, Cadiz, España.
1995, 1996 Teaching Stimulus Award. Córdoba National University, Argentina
1995 Scientific Production Prize, Córdoba National University, Argentina
1994-1995 Fellow of the National Research Council of Argentina, University of Illinois at Chicago.
1991 Academic Excellence. Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas, Córdoba. CONICOR
1989–1991 Fellow of the National Research Council of Argentina, Córdoba National University.
1984–1989 National Research Council of Argentina -5 year Doctoral Fellowship (Córdoba National University, Argentina
1982 Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Córdoba National University, Argentina
1982 Tuition Exception Due to Academic Merits. Córdoba National University, Argentina
1981 University Honors, Bachelor in Organic Chemistry. Awarded by the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba to the first and second best GPA in each major

Invited Seminars and Other Events

Years Seminar or Event
2019 Guest lecturer at Agronomy College, Córdoba National University, Argentina. 4/19.
2015 Seminar: Teaching and Learning at CMU. Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. 8/6.
2015 Seminar: Teaching and Learning at CMU. Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China. 8/13.
2014 Invited Panelist: NIDDK (NCI) Early Career Networking Event. 4/14.
2010 Seminar: My Teaching Experience in the US. Santiago del Estero National University, Argentina.
2009, ’07,’04 Seminars: My Research at CMU, Chemistry Department, Córdoba National University, Argentina
2000 Guest lecturer: City University of New York (CUNY). Teleconference.