Funded by a $70,000 grant from the HSC Foundation, Dr. Abdullah Al Maruf will research genetic markers with the goal of personalizing antidepressant treatment for young people
Dr. Abdullah Al Maruf (second from the left) with his pharmacy students who are assisting with the research project.
In Canada, an estimated 1.2 million children and youth are affected by mental illness, with depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder being particularly common. Antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed for these conditions and are the second-most dispensed mental health medication to Canadian children and youth after stimulants.
“Since the pandemic, antidepressant prescriptions have surged by 240 per cent,” says Dr. Maruf, an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba College of Pharmacy.”
Despite SSRIs being generally safe and effective, some children experience adverse effects such as hyperactivity, impulsivity, or irritability.
“We don’t yet know which children will respond well and which won’t,” Dr. Maruf explains.
To address this issue, Dr. Maruf received a $70,000 research operating grant from HSC Foundation donors to fund a groundbreaking research study.
The study will investigate genetic variants that could predict which children are at risk of adverse effects from SSRIs. By comparing the genetic profiles of children who tolerate SSRIs well with those who experience negative side effects, the researchers hope to pinpoint genetic markers associated with these adverse responses.
Dr. Maruf envisions that such tools could enable clinicians to identify young patients at risk of developing this adverse effect and prescribe and adjust dosages more effectively, reducing the trial-and-error process many young patients undergo. Dr. Laurence Katz, medical director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health at HSC will mentor Dr. Maruf in conducting the study.
“Thanks to the support from donors, this innovative research will offer hope to young patients and their families coping with mental health disorders,” Dr. Maruf says. For more information and to participate in his study, please visit PGx-SImBA.
This year, the HSC Foundation, with the generous support of its donors, invested $215,000 in health care research.
Learn more about Dr. Maruf’s study and the other research projects funded by 2025 grants here.
By Jen Golletz
