Marta P Silvestre

Professor Professor Auxiliar
Researcher | Nutritionist

Marta P. Silvestre, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at NOVA Medical School whose research focuses on metabolic health, with particular expertise in glycaemic control, inter-individual variability in metabolic responses, and personalised nutrition.

She obtained her PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Lisbon, with doctoral research conducted at Queen Mary University of London (at the Blizard Institute). She subsequently held a postdoctoral position at the Human Nutrition Unit, University of Auckland (New Zealand), where she contributed to large-scale international research initiatives on lifestyle interventions for diabetes prevention.

Her work is centred on translational research, integrating pre-clinical, clinical, and data-driven approaches to better understand metabolic regulation and inform disease prevention strategies. She has particular interest in the use of advanced methodologies, including continuous glucose monitoring systems and omics-based approaches, to inform personalised and scalable health interventions.

Dr. Silvestre has authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications and collaborates extensively within international research networks. She is actively engaged in scientific advisory and evaluation activities at European level, contributing to evidence-based health policy and innovation.

A committed educator, she teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, fostering critical thinking and the application of scientific evidence to clinical and public health practice.

  • Zhu R, Guo J, Huttunen-Lenz M, Stratton G, Swindell N, Macdonald IA, Handjieva-Darlenska T, Handjiev S, Navas-Carretero S, Poppitt SD, Silvestre M, Schlicht W, Fogelholm M, Martinez JA, Raben A, Brand-Miller J. Enduring improvements in hepatic insulin sensitivity predict sustained remission of prediabetes during a 3-year lifestyle intervention. Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental (2026). doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2026.156546;
  • Zhu R, Guo J, Huttunen-Lenz M, Silvestre M, Stratton G, Macdonald IA, Handjieva-Darlenska T, Handjiev S, Navas-Carretero S, Poppitt SD, Fogelholm M, Martinez-Urbistondo D, Martinez JA, Raben A, Brand-Miller J. Long-term effects of dietary protein and carbohydrate quality on prediabetes remission: results from the PREVIEW randomised multinational diabetes prevention trial. Diabetologia. 2025 Oct 15. doi: 10.1007/s00125-025-06560-x;
  • Poppitt SD, Miles-Chan J, Silvestre MP. Prediabetes phenotypes: can aetiology and risk profile guide lifestyle strategies for diabetes prevention? Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2025 Sep;20(5):361-371. doi: 10.1080/17446651.2025.2532559;
  • Relva B, Samuelsson LM, Duarte IF, Fasol U, Edwards PJB, Fogelholm M, Raben A, Poppitt SD, Silvestre MP. Changes in Serum Metabolome Following Low-Energy Diet-Induced Weight Loss in Women with Overweight and Prediabetes: A PREVIEW-New Zealand Sub-Study. Metabolites. 2024 Jul 24;14(8):401. doi: 10.3390/metabo14080401;
  • Pereira V, Barreiros-Mota I, Cortez F, Castela I, Teixeira D, Calhau C, Camila Dias C, Moreira-Rosário A, Silvestre MP. A randomized controlled trial of a weight loss maintenance program in adults with obesity: the WLM3P study. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2024 Aug;78(8):694-702. doi: 10.1038/s41430-024-01454-4;
  • P Silvestre M, Fogelholm M, Alves M, Papoila A, Adam T, Liu A, Brand-Miller J, Martinez JA, Westerterp-Plantenga M, Handjieva-Darlenska T, Macdonald IA, Zhu R, Jalo E, Muirhead R, Carretero SN, Handjiev S, Taylor MA, Raben A, Poppitt SD.Differences between HbA1cand glucose-related variables in predicting weight loss and glycaemic changes in individuals with overweight and hyperglycaemia - The PREVIEW trial.Clin Nutr. 2023 May;42(5):636-643. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2023.02.023
  • Zhu R, Jalo E, Silvestre MP, Poppitt SD, Handjieva-Darlenska T, Handjiev S, Huttunen-Lenz M, Mackintosh K, Stratton G, Navas-Carretero S, Pietiläinen KH, Simpson E, Macdonald IA, Muirhead R, Brand-Miller J, Fogelholm M, Færch K, Martinez JA, Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Adam TC, Raben A. Does the Effect of a 3-Year Lifestyle Intervention on Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Health Differ by Prediabetes Metabolic Phenotype? A Post Hoc Analysis of the PREVIEW Study. Diabetes Care. 2022 Nov 1;45(11):2698-2708. doi: 10.2337/dc22-0549.PMID: 35696263.2022 doi: 10.1007/s00125-022-05716-3
  • Jian C*,Silvestre MP*, Middleton D, Korpela K, Jalo E, Broderick D, de Vos WM, Fogelholm M, Taylor MW, Raben A, Poppitt S, Salonen A. Gut microbiota predicts body fat change following a low-energy diet: a PREVIEW intervention study. Genome Med. 2022 May 23;14(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s13073-022-01053-7. *Authors contributed equally
  • Zhu R, Fogelholm M, Poppitt SD, Silvestre MP, Møller G, Huttunen-Lenz M, Stratton G, Sundvall J, Råman L, Jalo E, Taylor MA, Macdonald IA, Handjiev S, Handjieva-Darlenska T, Martinez JA, Muirhead R, Brand-Miller J, Raben A. Adherence to a Plant-Based Diet and Consumption of Specific Plant Foods-Associations with 3-Year Weight-Loss Maintenance and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Secondary Analysis of the PREVIEW Intervention Study. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 1;13(11):3916. doi: 10.3390/nu13113916
  • Ismael S, Silvestre MP, Vasques M, Araújo JR, Morais J, Duarte MI, Pestana D, Faria A, Pereira-Leal JB, Vaz J, Ribeiro P, Teixeira D, Marques C, Calhau C. A Pilot Study on the Metabolic Impact of Mediterranean Diet in Type 2 Diabetes: Is Gut Microbiota the Key? Nutrients. 2021 Apr 8;13(4):1228. doi: 10.3390/nu13041228. PMID: 33917736; PMCID: PMC8068165.2021 doi: 10.1016/j
  • Best Impact Paper 2024; Awarding institution: American Physiological Society (27/04/2025); Decreased adiponectin-leptin ratio relates to insulin resistance in adults with obesity.
  • Excellence in Research Award; Awarding institution: American Journal of Physiology (01/12/2022) – Endocrinology and Metabolism; Inês Castela, Juliana Morais, Inês Barreiros-Mota, Marta P. Silvestre, Cláudia Marques, Catarina Rodrigues, Shámila Ismael, João R. Araújo, Miguel Ângelo-Dias, Catarina Martins, Luís Miguel Borrego, Rosário Monteiro, Sílvia Ribeiro Coutinho, Conceição Calhau, Cátia Martins, Ana Faria, Diogo Pestana, Diana Teixeira; Decreased adiponectin/leptin ratio relates to insulin resistance in adults with obesity.
  • Nutrition Annual’s Best Project–Clinical Nutrition; Awarding institution: Magazine “Viver Saudável” (02/11/2022); Inês Castela, Catarina Rodrigues, Shámila Ismael, Inês Barreiros-Mota, Juliana Morais, João R. Araújo, Cláudia Marques, Marta P. Silvestre, Miguel Ângelo-Dias, Catarina Martins, Luís Miguel Borrego, Ana Faria, Rosário Monteiro, Sílvia Ribeiro Coutinho, Cátia Martins, Conceição Calhau, Diogo Pestana, Diana Teixeira; Turning Trial – Intermittent energy restriction ameliorates adipose tissue-associated inflammation in adults with obesity - a randomised controlled trial.
  • Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions - Seal of Excellence Award; Awarding institution : European Comission (09/2017); Scored >90% in a project proposal (application to Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship) as first and leading author.
  • Best Oral Communication; Awarding institution: Portuguese Nutrition Association: “Weight loss and its maintenance for type 2 diabetes prevention – the PREVIEW study” – at the Portuguese Food and Nutrition Conference (05/05/2017).
  • Travel Grant; Awarding institution: Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust; Goal: Presentation of research data: "Weight loss and its maintenance for type 2 diabetes prevention – the PREVIEW study” – at the XVI Portuguese Food and Nutrition Conference (05/2017).