Scientific Expertise You Can Rely On

I'm Dr. Rafaella A. Gonçalves, neuroscientist and founder of CognoWise. I have over 10 years of experience in biomedical research and medical writing, and I help universities, companies, and researchers create high-quality, evidence-based materials.

Freelance medical writer, scientific editor and neuroscience consultant Dr. Rafaella Gonçalves

My Services

Specialized services tailored to your specific needs

Medical Writing

Professional, accurate, evidence-based content that communicates complex medical and scientific topics with clarity and impact.

  • Peer-reviewed manuscripts
  • Literature reviews and evidence syntheses
  • Educational materials for professionals and the public

Review & Editing

Expert scientific editing to elevate your work to publication-ready standards.

  • In-depth evaluation of data and methodology
  • Streamlined structure and flow
  • Strategic feedback to align with journal or stakeholder expectations

AI Training & Evaluation

Bringing neuroscience and medical expertise to test and refine healthcare-focused language models.

  • Develop challenge datasets and prompts
  • Audit and optimize prompts quality
  • Provide actionable improvement recommendations

Consulting

Specialized support at every stage of biomedical research, from concept to application.

  • Experimental design and study planning
  • Data analysis and interpretation
  • Translating findings into clinical or commercial strategy

Scientific Translation

Nuanced translation of technical documents accross multiple languages, preserving scientific accuracy.

  • Research articles
  • Conference abstracts
  • Technical protocols

Custom Solutions

Tailored services designed specifically for your project's challenges.

  • Specialized scientific research
  • Educational materials
  • Custom project support

My Work

Below are examples of my peer-reviewed publications.

For a full list, visit my Google Scholar.

REVIEW ARTICLES

Review Article 1

Impaired insulin signalling and allostatic load in Alzheimer disease

Nature Reviews Neuroscience | 2022 | Impact Factor: 28.7

Comprehensive review highlighting how disrupted insulin signaling and metabolic stress contribute to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. A key reference for understanding the metabolic underpinnings of neurodegeneration.

View Article

Review Article 2

The crosstalk between brain and periphery: Implications for brain health and disease

Neuropharmacology | 2021 | Impact Factor: 4.6

Review article summarizing evidence of how blood-borne molecules reach the brain and how this knowledge can guide the development of minimally invasive drug delivery methods for neurological disorders.

View Article

Review Article 3

The Link Between Tau and Insulin Signaling: Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Tauopathies

Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience | 2019 | Impact Factor: 4.0

This review highlights how pathological tau disrupts insulin signaling in the brain and body, creating a cycle that links Alzheimer’s disease with metabolic dysfunction. Understanding this tau-insulin connection could open new therapeutic opportunities.

View Article

ORIGINAL ARTICLES

Original Article 1

Cerebrospinal fluid irisin and lipoxin A4 are reduced in elderly Brazilian individuals with depression: Insight into shared mechanisms between depression and dementia

Alzheimer's & Dementia | 2023 | Impact Factor: 14.5

Research paper identifying the hormone irisin as a biomarker linking depression and dementia in elderly individuals, highlighting its clinical potential for disease diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.

View Article

Original Article 2

Pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 signaling links cognitive impairments and peripheral metabolic alterations in Alzheimer’s disease

Translational Psychiatry | 2021 | Impact Factor: 7.0

Research paper demonstrating how elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels may drive both metabolic disturbances and memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease, reinforcing the inflammatory link to cognitive decline.

View Article

Original Article 3

Behavioral Abnormalities in Knockout and Humanized Tau Mice

Frontiers in Endocrinology | 2020 | Impact Factor: 4.6

This study reveals that tau protein helps regulate memory, mood, and metabolism in mice. Loss of tau caused anxiety and memory issues, while adding human tau worsened metabolic dysfunction, highlighting complex roles for tau in Alzheimer’s models.

View Article

About Me

I'm Dr. Rafaella A. Gonçalves, a neuroscientist with over 10 years of experience in both academic and private sectors.

After earning my PhD at Queen's University in Canada and completing postdoctoral research at the Gladstone Institutes/UCSF in the United States, I now leverage my deep bench-to-publication expertise to help healthcare companies and research teams translate complex data into clear, high-impact content.

Education

PhD in Neuroscience, Queen's University (2022)

MSc in Medical Biochemistry, University of Toronto & UFRJ (2017)

Topics

Aging, Neurology, Biochemistry, Metabolism, Behavior, AI in medicine, Cardiology, Dermatology

Key Skills

Medical writing, Data Analysis (R, SPSS, GraphPad Prism, Python), Evidence synthesis, AI

Why Work With Me?

Proven Scientific Expertise

With a PhD and 10+ years of biomedical research experience, I bring rigorous, credible subject-matter expertise to every project.

Results-Oriented Partnership

I understand academic and industry demands, delivering solutions on time without compromising on quality.

Effective Science Communication

I translate complex scientific data into clear, tailored messages for grants, publications, and stakeholders.

Personalized Support

Every project is unique, and so is my approach. As an independent consultant, I deliver client-focused, customized solutions.

Get in Touch

Ready to discuss your project? Contact me today for a free consultation.

Contact Information

Email Me

rafaella@cognowise.ca

Location

Ottawa, ON, Canada (available worldwide)