My current research program at the University of Copenhagen aims to examine the short- and long-term impacts of diets on ruminant gut structure and function in order to improve well-being and animal production. Another topic of my research is discovering novel enzymes from the rumen microbiome to break down lignocellulosic biomass and chemical products to mitigate enteric greenhouse gas emissions.

I have always been concerned with the problem of greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants. Additionally, I am fascinated by the integration of ruminant production and advanced technologies (e.g., omics, computational tools). This fascination led to the creation of a methodology that enhanced the resolution of rumen microbial classification. This methodology allows the identification of functional microbial signatures that differentiate cattle with varying feed efficiencies. I confirmed that a greater abundance of Methanococcaceae in the rumen indicates an increase in methane production and reduced feed efficiency in cattle. I also developed a methodology to discover novel rumen enzymes that can be used in the animal feed industry and the biotechnology sector. 

Projects

Current:

Novo Nordisk Foundation - Exploratory Interdisciplinary Synergy Programme (NNF21OC0070790). Denmark. (2022-2025). PI

Past:

EMBRAPA - Brazil. “Technological innovations to improve dairy production in the Brazilian semi-arid region”. (2009-2012). PI

CNPq - Brazil. “Forage and alternative feedstuffs for dairy cattle raised in the Northeastern region of Brazil”. (2009-2014). WP-leader

EMBRAPA - Brazil. “RumenGases Brazil – Development of strategies to mitigate methane emissions in ruminants.(2011-2015). Recipient

 EMBRAPA - Brazil. “Divergence in nutrient concentration, in-vitro degradation and gas production potential of spineless cactus genotypes selected for insect resistance”. (2011-2013)”. Recipient

Ph.D. in Animal Science, University of Alberta, Canada

MSc in Animal Science, University of Southwest Bahia, Brazil 

BSc. in Veterinary Medicine, University of Santa Cruz, Brazil

Selected publications

1. NEVES, A.L.A.; YU, J.; SUZUKI, Y.; BAEZ-MAGANA, M.; ARUTYUNOVA, E.; O'HARA, E.; MCALLISTER, T.; OMINSKI,K.H.; LEMIEUX, M. J.; GUAN, L. L. Accelerated discovery of novel glycoside hydrolases using targeted functional profiling and selective pressure on the rumen microbiome. Microbiome. 2021. Accepted. 
   
2. SONG, Y.; LI, F.; FISHER-TTLUSTOS, A.; NEVES, A.L.A.; HE, Z.; STEELE, M.; GUAN, L. L. Metagenomic analysis revealed the individualized shift in ileal microbiome of neonatal calves in response to delaying the first colostrum feeding. Journal of Dairy Science. 2021. Accepted. 
   
3. BAN, Y.; NEVES, A. L. A.; GUAN, L. L.; MCALLISTER, T. Modifying the rumen environment to reduce livestock greenhouse gas emissions. Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited. 2021, 43 p. (Book chapter).
4. O'HARA, EÓIN ; NEVES, A.L.A. ; SONG, YANG ; GUAN, LE LUO . The Role of the Gut Microbiome in Cattle Production and Health: Driver or Passenger?. Annual review of animal biosciences, v. 8, p. 199-220, 2020.
   
5. NEVES, A. L. A.; CHEN, Y.; LÊ CAO, K.-A. ; MANDAL, S. ; SHARPTON, T. J. ; MCALLISTER, T. ; GUAN, L. L. Taxonomic and functional assessment using metatranscriptomics reveals the effect of Angus cattle on rumen microbial signatures. Animal, v. 1, p. 1-14, 2019. 
   
6. NEVES, A. L. A. ; LI, FUYONG ; GHOSHAL, BIBASWAN ; MCALLISTER, TIM; GUAN, LE L. Enhancing the resolution of rumen microbial classification from metatranscriptomic data using kraken and mothur. Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 8, p. 1345, 2017. 
   
7. SANTOS, R.D. ; BOOTE, K. ; SOLLENBERGER, L. ; NEVES, A. L. A. ; PEREIRA, L. G. R. ; SCHERER, C. B. ; GONÇALVES, Lúcio Carlos. Simulated optimum sowing date for forage pearl millet cultivars in multilocation trials in brazilian semi-arid region. Frontiers in Plant Science, v. 8, p. 1283, 2017. 
   
8. ALVES, J. N. ; ARAÚJO, G.G.L. ; GONZAGA NETO, S. ; VOLTOLINI, T. V. ; SANTOS, R. D. ; GUAN, L. ; McAllister, T. ; NEVES, A. L. A. Effect of increasing concentrations of total dissolved salts in drinking water on digestion, performance and water balance in heifers. Journal of Agricultural Science (Print), v. 1, p. 1-10, 2017. 
   
9. LI, FUYONG ; NEVES, A. L. A.; GHOSHAL, BIBASWAN ; GUAN, L. Mining metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data for clues about microbial metabolic functions in ruminants. Journal of Dairy Science, v. 101, p. 1-14, 2017. 
   
10. NEVES, A. L. A. ; SANTOS, R.D. ; PEREIRA, L. G. R. ; OLIVEIRA, G. F. ; SCHERER, C. B. ; VERNEQUE, R. S. ; McALLISTER, T. Agronomic characteristics, silage quality, intake and digestibility of five new Brazilian sorghum cultivars. Journal of Agricultural Science (Print), v. 153, p. 371-380, 2015.