2025 Dec: PGx-SUPPORT study is featured in the Winnipeg Free Press! Link: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/12/11/u-of-m-researchers-studying-whether-genetic-testing-helps-zero-in-on-effective-mental-health-treatment-meds Dec: PGx-SUPPORT study is featured in the Up To Speed with Faith Fundal, CBC Radio. “Potentially a way to save our health care system millions of dollars and could mean the difference between life and death for some people”. Up To Speed with Faith Fundal, CBC Radio. Link: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-111-up-to-speed/clip/16186667-potentially-save-health-care-system-millions-dollars- Dec: PGx-SUPPORT study is featured in the UM News Today! "UM study offers free genetic testing to improve mental health treatment in Manitoba". News Link: https://news.umanitoba.ca/um-study-offers-free-genetic-testing-to-improve-mental-health-treatment-in-manitoba Nov: We have published our very first knowledge translation product from the PRECISE CARE HUB. PEDIATRICS PGx TESTING: A Counselling Best Practices for Healthcare Practitioners Nov: Dr. Maruf attended the 2026 CIHR Institute of Genetics New PI Meeting in Halifax with the CIHR sponsorship. Oct: The Maruf lab members had a fantastic time at the 21st Annual Child Health Research Days Conference, organized by the Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. Our MSc student, Nuzhat Tabassum, won a Gold Award (First Prize) in the master's trainee category, and our PharmD summer research student, Natalia Morcilla, secured the People's Choice Award (overall). Congratulations! Sep: Congratulations to our PhD student, Mahin Hasanfor receiving a College of Pharmacy Entrance Scholarship. Sep: Dr. Maruf recently gave an interview about research and future plans to the student-run magazine, The Manitoban. Read here: https://themanitoban.com/2025/09/unlocking-precision-medicine-through-genetics/50412 Sep: Congratulations to our M.Sc. student, Nuzhat Tabassum for receiving an University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF). UMGF is our top scholarship for graduate students. Sep: We are delighted to welcome Rizwan Ahmed, who will be pursuing a part-time MSc. He is the director of pharmacy services at Southern Health, Manitoba. Sep: Heartiest congratulations to our PhD student, Mahin Hasan, who was awarded a 2025 Research Manitoba PhD Studentship! This is a prestigious provincial-level award. News Link: https://researchmanitoba.ca/research-manitoba-announces-1-4m-in-funding-to-support-64-studentship-and-fellowship-awards Aug: Dr. Maruf spoke with Maralee (CTV News) about the PGx-SImBA study. Watch: https://www.ctvnews.ca/winnipeg/video/2025/08/22/study-to-examine-antidepressant-treatment-for-youth Aug: PGx-SImBA study is featured in the UM News Today! News Link: https://news.umanitoba.ca/help-improve-antidepressant-treatment-for-children-and-youth-join-a-um-research-study Jul: We are delighted that our PhD student, Md. Abdul Aziz (co-supervised with Dr. Christine Leong) was awarded a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship (CIHR). This is one of the most prestigious scholarships available to doctoral students in Canada. Aziz was the very first international student that Dr. Maruf supported to come to Canada to pursue graduate studies at the University of Manitoba. Congratulations Aziz! News Link //News Link Jul: Anju Sareen, Pharmacist Research Associate from our group recently took up the position of Manager, Steele's Apothecary, College of Pharmacy. She will continue to help us with developing the PRECISE CARE HUB. We wish her all the best in her new position! 🎉 Jun: Dr. Maruf attended the 2025 CPERC conference where Md. Abdul Azizwon one of the three AFPC Pharmacy Student Research Poster awards. 🎉 Congratulations! May: Dr. Maruf attended the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) 2025 Awards Reception where our PhD studentMd. Abdul Aziz received the 2025 Dean of Graduate Studies Student Achievement Award. May: We are excited to welcome Mahin Hasan as our newest group member. Mahin will pursue a PhD in the College of Pharmacy under Dr. Maruf's supervision. May: We are happy to welcome four students for summer research! Thank you to the University of Manitoba Undergraduate Research Awards (URA) and College of Pharmacy PharmD Undergraduate Summer Research Award (COP USRA) programs for supporting these talented students. They received $30,000 fellowships in total. May: Great news! Dr. Maruf has received 2025 operating grant funding from the Health Sciences Centre Foundation (HSCF) for the PGx-SUPPORT study. Read here: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/about/grants/2025-grant-recipients/New Paper Alert! May: Estimating the Frequency of False-Negative Pharmacogenetic Test Results by Self-Reported Ancestry. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Link. Apr: Dr. Maruf appeared on CTV Manitoba to discuss the PGx-SImBA study, the first psychiatric pharmacogenetic study in Manitoba. Watch Apr: Md. Abdul Aziz, our PhD student has received a 2025 AFPC / CCPE Pharmacy Student Research Poster Award. Congratulations Aziz! Mar: We are in the Winnipeg Free Press! Read here: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2025/03/21/new-research-explores-genetic-factors-behind-adverse-reactions-to-antidepressants-in-young-canadians Mar: New Paper Alert! A collaboration with S.H.A.R.E Lab! Protocol for a scoping review of patient engagement in pharmacy practice research. BMJ Open. Link. Mar: New Paper Alert! Psychiatric Pharmacogenomic Testing: A Primer for Clinicians. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. Link. Mar: Md. Abdul Aziz (PhD student) and Grace Pilkey (PharmD Research Assistant) presented posters at the 2025 College of Pharmacy research day. Grace picked up the first prize in the poster competition. Congratulations Grace! Mar: Our research group will contribute to two major projects in the Canadian Precision Health Initiative by Genome Canada: "Pan-Canadian Initiative Linking Genomic, Environmental and Mental Health Data in Children and Youth: (Pan-GEM)" (Manitoba Site Lead & Co-Investigator)and "PrairieGen: A Multi-Omics Approach to Advancing Data Integration From Manitoba and Saskatchewan Populations into the Pan Canadian Genome Library" (Co-Investigator). Jan: We are excited to welcome Nuzhat Tabassum as our newest group member. Nuzhat will pursue an MSc in the College of Pharmacy under Dr. Maruf's supervision. She has been awarded the International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES).
2024 Dec: New Paper Alert! Prevalence Estimates of Cytochrome P450 Phenoconversion in Youth Receiving Pharmacotherapy for Mental Health Conditions. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Link. Dec: We are excited to welcome Nuzhat Tabassum as our newest group member. Nuzhat will pursue an MSc in the College of Pharmacy under Dr. Maruf's supervision. She has been awarded the International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES). Nov: Our PhD student, Md. Abdul Aziz has been recognized with a Dean of Graduate Studies Student Achievement Prize. He is one of the top three recipients of this prestigious award. the top three recipients of this prestigious award. Aziz has distinguished himself through his academic excellence, leadership, teaching abilities, volunteerism, and his dedication to mentoring fellow students. Oct: Our lab (aka Pharmacogenomics Knowledge 2 Action Lab) is featured in the Health Sciences Centre Foundation newsletter. Read Here:https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/HSCF_Newsletter_Fall_2024_web2.pdf Thank you Health Sciences Centre Foundation for funding the study along with Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba. Sep: We are excited to welcome Anju Sareen to our group as a Research Associate Pharmacist. She has been working in the community pharmacy settings for more than 20 years. She will be providing clinical and education support to the group. Sep: A warm welcome to Grace Pilkey and Haley Charbonneau, PharmD students at the College of Pharmacy who will be working part-time as Research Coordinators for ongoing studies. Aug: We had our first ever annual lab party! Checkout our celebration section! Jul: Happy Canada Day! Another good news to share - Dr. Maruf has been awarded 2024 Operating Grant from the Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM) and the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. Jun: Summer is officially here, and we are happy to share that Drs. Maruf and Chudyk have been awarded with a Preparing for Research by Engaging Public and Patient Partners (PREPP) Award! The award is provided by the George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation (CHI) and Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba (CHRIM). May: Grace Pilkey, a first year PharmD student has joined the lab as a Research Assistant. Welcome Grace! May: Great news! Dr. Maruf has received operating grant funding from the Health Sciences Centre Foundation (HSCF)! We will soon launch the PGx-SImBA project "Pharmacogenomics of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor-Induced Behavioural Activation in Children and Adolescents". Read here: https://www.hscfoundation.mb.ca/about/grants/2024-grant-recipients May: Dr. Maruf has received funding for the pragmatic trial "Pharmacogenomics-Supported Psychotropic Prescribing Trial (PGx-SUPPORT): A Pilot Study in Manitoba" from the Department of Psychiatry Academic Projects (DPAP), University of Manitoba. Mar: The CIHR-funded Accelerating Clinical Trials (ACT)/Accélérer les Essais Cliniques (AEC) Consortium has funded the CYMH Trials Network, the Canadian Network for Child and Youth Mental Health Trials. Dr. Maruf is the Prairies Co-lead of the Clinical Partnerships Committee. Mar: New paper alert! Effect of CYP2D6 genetic variation on patient-reported symptom improvement and side effects among children and adolescents treated with amphetamines. Pharmacogenetics and Genomics. Link. Mar: The results of the PGx-KPOP (Pharmacogenomics Knowledge and Perception of Pharmacists in Manitoba) study have been published in the journal Pharmacogenomics! Kudus to two of my PharmD research project students (Amanda and Amber) who did a splendid job as part of their PharmD research project in 2022.Link Mar: Our PhD student, Md. Abdul Aziz has been recognized with a mentorship award during the 2024 Pharmacy research Day. Feb: New Paper Alert! The first paper from the PGx-SParK study! "Impact of Cytochrome P450 Genetic Variation on Patient-Reported Symptom Improvement and Side Effects Among Children and Adolescents Treated with Fluoxetine". Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. Link. Feb: Happy to be a part of this CIHR-funded study: Genetic Architecture of Youth Anxiety (GAYA)! The genetic architecture of youth anxiety: a study protocol. BMC Psychiatry.Link. Jan: Dr. Maruf has joined Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba(CHRIM) as a Scientist. Jan: New Paper Alert! Excellent work from two of our amazing PharmD students, Amanda Wondrasek and Amber Fryza. Knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes toward pharmacogenomics among pharmacists and pharmacy students: A systematic review. Health Science Reports. Link. Jan: Dr. Indrani Paul who is an international medical graduate has joined the group as a clinical research intern. She will be coordinating several pharmacogenomic studies.
2023 Nov: New Paper Alert! Great work from my graduate student Md. Abdul Aziz. The Potential Roles of Pharmacists in the Clinical Implementation of Pharmacogenomics. Pharmacy. Link. Sep: New Paper Alert! Emergence, Implementation, and Future Growth of Pharmacogenomics in Psychiatry: A Narrative Review. Psychological Medicine. Link. Sep: Md. Abdul Aziz joined the group as a PhD student. He has been awarded with the International Graduate Student Entrance Scholarship (IGSES) and the University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship (UMGF). The UMGF is a highly prestigious award that is provided to PhD students for three years. Jun: Dr. Maruf was acknowledged in a recently published Horizon Scan on pharmacogenomic testing for psychiatric disorders by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH). Link Jun: Dr. Maruf has joined the Editorial Board of Frontiers in Psychiatryas a Review Editor. Mar: The first paper from the BdPGRN initiative has been published! Congratulations Shaki and Aziz! A Review of Pharmacogenetic Studies in the Bangladeshi Population. Drug Metabolism and Personalized Therapy. Link Jan: The Bangladesh Pharmacogenomics Research Network (BdPGRN) has officially launched. Dr. Maruf is the Co-Founder of the network along with Dr. Mohammad Safiqul Islam. Md. Abdul Aziz is the Director, Research Operations.
2022 Dec: New Paper Alert! Pharmacogenomic Testing and Depressive Symptom Remission: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective, Controlled Clinical Trials. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. Link Sep: Dr, Maruf has taken a one-year career break to attend to personal and family health issues. Sep: Dr. Maruf is a Co-Investigator in the recently funded Team Grant: Transitions in Care - Phase 2 by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Jul: New Paper Alert! Approaches and Hurdles of Implementing Pharmacogenetic Testing in the Psychiatric Clinic. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports. Link Jun: The lab has been awarded a Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Foundation General Operating Grant! Unfortunately, we have declined the grant as Dr. Maruf will be attending to family health issues. May: Myles Le and Rashawna Blair have joined the lab as undergraduate research students. Myles is a second year PharmD student who has been awarded a College of Pharmacy Undergraduate Research Experience Award. Rashawna has received an University of Manitoba Student Union (UMSU) Undergraduate Research Award along with a top-up award from the College of Pharmacy. Welcome to the Lab! May: Amanda Wondrasek, Amber Fryza, Vincent Liang, and Ramandeep Kainth have joined the lab for their PharmD Research Course. Welcome to the Lab! Apr: Sima Rani De, a health economist in training has joined the lab as a Research Volunteer. She will be working remotely. Apr: Dr. Maruf has participated in Reviewer in Training (RiT) program for Project Grants by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR). Mar: The lab got it's first grant since starting at the University of Manitoba! TheUniversity of Manitoba University Research Grants Program (URGP). Mar: Dr. Maruf is featured in the RadyUM magazine. Click here to read the article Feb: Shamsia Sobhan has joined the lab as a Clinical Research Analyst. Feb: New Paper Alert! Pharmacogenetic Testing Knowledge and Attitudes among Pediatric Psychiatrists and Pediatricians in Alberta, Canada. The Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Link Jan: Ya Wen Huang has joined the lab as a Clinical Research Assistant.
2021 Dec: New Paper Alert! Great work from a student volunteer, Kiera Stein. Serotonin Transporter Genetic Variation and Antidepressant Response and Tolerability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Personalized Medicine. Link Nov: Just Out! First paper as the corresponding author! Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of L-Methylfolate Augmentation in Depressive Disorders. Pharmacopsychiatry. Link Nov: Dr. Maruf has joined the Editorial Board of Springer Nature's The European Journal of Human Genetics and as Review Editor of Frontiers in Genetics and Frontiers in Pharmacology. Oct: Dr. Maruf has joined the Editorial Board of Springer Nature's The Pharmacogenomics Journal. Oct: The Maruf Lab website has launched! Sep: Dr. Maruf has joined the University of Manitoba College of Pharmacy as a tenure-track Assistant Professor of pharmacogenomics.