D.V.M., Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor & State Extension Specialist in Livestock Systems
Division of Animal Sciences
Research at a glance
Area(s) of Expertise
Research Summary
The focus of my research is to reduce the early pregnancy loss that happens in beef cows. I study the biology of uterine and extra uterine tissues in the first 3 week of gestation to understand which changes are critical for the pregnancy success. My ultimate goal is to increase the number of calves produced by unit of cow in the cow-calf operation.
Cecilia has extensive experience in the field of reproductive physiology of beef cows. She develops applied and basic research aiming to increase reproductive efficiency in beef operations. Around 40 to 60% of cows lose a pregnancy in the first 30 days of gestation. Cecilia studies the main events that happen in this moment which could be manipulated to reduce pregnancy loss, such as, interferon-tau signaling, immune response of the uterus, and embryo-maternal crosstalk in uterine tissues.
Educational background
- Ph.D. in reproductive physiology, University of Florida
- Master’s degree, University of Sao Paulo
- DVM, Federal University of Santa Catarina