André Krumel Portella, MD, PhD
Curriculum vitae

My research connects developmental origins of health and disease with neuroscience, eating behavior and gene–environment interaction. I work with colleagues to understand how early experiences relate to later responses to food and other environmental conditions, and to the coexistence of mental and metabolic health problems.

Selected research and academic appointments
Research Associate | Douglas Research Centre | 2019–present
Research Associate | Desautels Faculty of Management, McGill University | 2016–2019
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics | Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Brazil | 2014–2016
Postdoctoral Fellow, Pediatrics | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil | 2011–2012
Research Assistant | Douglas Mental Health University Institute | 2006–2009

Education and training
PhD in Medicine | UFRGS | 2009–2011
Fellowship in Neonatology | McGill University | 2005–2006
MSc in Neuroscience | UFRGS | 2004–2005
Residency in Pediatrics | UFCSPA | 2003–2004
Medicine | UFRGS | 1994–2000

Research computing
I manage Cerebra, a 16-node high-performance computing (HPC) cluster hosted at McGill University for the Meaney and Silveira laboratories. I work within a bioinformatics and biostatistics team, supporting the computing infrastructure needed for collaborative biomedical research.

Selected teaching
Co-instructor, Decision Neuroscience (MRKT709), McGill University, 2017–2019.
Co-instructor, Seminars in Marketing and Precision Retailing (MRKT705), McGill University, 2017–2018.

Selected publications
Barth B, Miguel PM, Pokhvisneva I, Portella AK, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP. Differentiating genetic and gene-environment interaction profiles of physical and mental health disorders. Commun Med (Lond). 2026 Jul 1. doi: 10.1038/s43856-026-01748-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42386896.
Miguel PM, Barth B, Batra A, Alves MB, Arcego DM, Alberry B, Dalle Molle R, Gómez-Ilescas A, Zhang TY, Wen X, Parent C, O'Toole N, Portella AK, Silveira PP. Insulin modulates mPFC gene expression and emotional behavior in a sex-specific manner following fetal growth restriction. Brain Behav Immun. 2026 Jun 30;138:106887. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2026.106887. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 42379381.
Barth B, Arcego DM, de Mendonça Filho EJ, de Lima RMS, Parent C, Dalmaz C, Portella AK, Pokhvisneva I, Meaney MJ, Silveira PP. Striatal dopamine gene network moderates the effect of early adversity on the risk for adult psychiatric and cardiometabolic comorbidity. Sci Rep. 2024 Nov 9;14(1):27349. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-78465-5. PMID: 39521843; PMCID: PMC11550826.
Paquet C, Portella AK, Moore S, Ma Y, Dagher A, Meaney MJ, Kennedy JL, Levitan RD, Silveira PP, Dubé L. Dopamine D4 receptor gene polymorphism (DRD4 VNTR) moderates real-world behavioural response to the food retail environment in children. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1):145. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-10160-w. PMID: 33530977.
Portella AK, Kajantie E, Hovi P, Desai M, Ross MG, Goldani MZ, Roseboom TJ, Silveira PP. Effects of in utero conditions on adult feeding preferences. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2012;3(3):140-152.
Silveira PP, Portella AK, Assis SA, Nieto FB, Diehl LA, Crema LM, Peres W, Costa G, Scorza C, Quillfeldt JA, Lucion AB, Dalmaz C. Early life experience alters behavioral responses to sweet food and accumbal dopamine metabolism. Int J Dev Neurosci. 2010;28(1):111-118.

Professional context
Research roles in Canada; valid medical permit in Brazil.