From a guide within us all to a blueprint for the future, the Biobank at Rogers Research Center is opening doors in mental health treatment. Watch the video above and read on to learn more.
Hope in every sample: Biobank and Rogers Research Center maps new future in mental health treatment
Opened in 2020, the Biobank is currently home to more than 1,400 unique genetic samples collected from consenting patients, enabling research into how DNA is tied to mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, OCD, substance use disorder, and rare genetic diseases, which often present with mental health symptoms.
“There’s a lot we can do once we understand what genes are predisposing those patients to see those symptoms,” says Kelly Parsons, PhD, director of Research Administration and Health Economics at Rogers Research Center.
To glean those insights, researchers require a significant number of genetic samples. However, as Dr. Parsons points out, there is strength in numbers. The Biobank is growing, with a goal of reaching 100,000 unique samples.
“We have grown from an empty room, into something that is quickly becoming one of the larger mental health-focused biobanks in the world. I think that is impactful,” says Sheldon Garrison, PhD, a research scientist at Rogers and one of the Biobank’s founders. “We collaborate and partner all over the world.”
Such research can help inform increasingly individualized treatment at Rogers, guided by the value that no patient should be treated as just a number.
“Every research project we undertake at Rogers must have a clear line to supporting and enhancing the patient care our providers deliver,” Dr. Garrison says. “As our understanding of patients’ genetic profiles continues to evolve over the next two to five years, we can integrate genetic testing into clinical decision-making.”
Garrison says that can result in providers offering genetic tests and additional resources for patients, paving the way for clearer answers and treatment.
Our unique genetic code makes us who we are, and insights from thousands of genetic samples can pave the way for who we will be.
“I think we have a great foundation at the Biobank,” says Kelly Piacsek, PhD, executive vice president of Research. “I would envision five to 10 years from now that we’re a choice partner in behavioral health research and that some of the discoveries that have come through our Biobank and our neuroscience lab are helping to inform the broader field and changing the practice of care in the behavioral health field.”
Learn more about the Biobank and how to donate here.
