2025
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.
Mar: New Paper Alert! 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) [~10.2 million] and "PrairieGen: A Multi-Omics Approach to Advancing Data Integration From Manitoba and Saskatchewan Populations into the Pan Canadian Genome Library" (Co-Investigator) [~7.2 million].
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
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.
Sep: We have completed our second year at the University of the Manitoba College of Pharmacy!! We supervised 11 undergraduate students in the last two years. We have secured an approximately $200,000 of peer-reviewed funding for the lab as a #newPI. The lab is also involved in projects where Dr. Maruf is a co-investigator securing more than a million dollar in the last two years.
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 [$60,000].
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) [$4,000] 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) [$70,000]! 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 [$50,000].
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 [$150,000]. 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 Psychiatry as 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) [$959,725].
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! [$69,966]. (PI) 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 [$4,000]. Rashawna has received an University of Manitoba Student Union (UMSU) Undergraduate Research Award [$7,000] 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! The University of Manitoba University Research Grants Program (URGP) [$8,400].
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.
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.
Mar: New Paper Alert! 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) [~10.2 million] and "PrairieGen: A Multi-Omics Approach to Advancing Data Integration From Manitoba and Saskatchewan Populations into the Pan Canadian Genome Library" (Co-Investigator) [~7.2 million].
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
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.
Sep: We have completed our second year at the University of the Manitoba College of Pharmacy!! We supervised 11 undergraduate students in the last two years. We have secured an approximately $200,000 of peer-reviewed funding for the lab as a #newPI. The lab is also involved in projects where Dr. Maruf is a co-investigator securing more than a million dollar in the last two years.
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 [$60,000].
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) [$4,000] 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) [$70,000]! 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 [$50,000].
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 [$150,000]. 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 Psychiatry as 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) [$959,725].
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! [$69,966]. (PI) 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 [$4,000]. Rashawna has received an University of Manitoba Student Union (UMSU) Undergraduate Research Award [$7,000] 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! The University of Manitoba University Research Grants Program (URGP) [$8,400].
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.