Nathalia Galvão-Coelho

Nathalia L. Galvão-Coelho is a psychiatric researcher whose work spans translational animal models, controlled clinical studies and large-scale naturalistic surveys focused on psychedelic compounds—most prominently ayahuasca. Her research portfolio includes preclinical investigations using juvenile non-human primate models of depressive-like behaviour, randomized controlled observations of single-dose ayahuasca effects, and biomarker studies linking antidepressant response to changes in inflammatory mediators and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).

She has also contributed to epidemiological and qualitative studies that examine patterns of ayahuasca use, context and setting effects on mental health outcomes, and associations with alcohol and other drug use across international samples. In addition to primary empirical work, she has co-authored syntheses and meta-analytic reviews on classic serotonergic psychedelics for mood disorders, helping to integrate clinical, biological and contextual perspectives relevant to therapeutic development and harm–benefit assessment.