New APA Award Recognizes Emerging Field of Pharmacogenomics
Abstract
The David A. Mrazek Memorial Lecture in Psychiatric Pharmacogenomics will honor a pioneer in using genetic data to personalize drug treatments for mental illness.
In 2000, when David Mrazek, M.D., came to the Mayo Clinic to take over as chair of the Department of Psychiatry, he brought his vision of patient care for the new century.
David Mrazek, M.D., was a major contributor behind the growth of psychiatric pharmacogenomics, and this legacy will be honored each year through APA’s new Mrazek Memorial Lecture.
Gone would be the days when physicians would rely on trial and error to find the right drug combinations to treat mental illness. By taking advantage of the genomic revolution, clinicians could identify genetic differences in each person that affect drug response or side effects, paving the way for a more streamlined and personal approach to therapy.
In the 14 years since, pharmacogenomics has grown from a niche field into a prominent psychiatric subspecialty, with ever-increasing prevalence in research, business development, and clinical practice. This past August, Assurex, a personalized medicine company that Mrazek helped launch, surpassed 100,000 patients who have been tested with its GeneSight toolkit.
Sadly, Mrazek did not live to see this milestone, having passed away on May 6, 2013, at the age of 65. However, next May, APA will ensure that his vision lives on by recognizing his groundbreaking contributions with the inaugural David A. Mrazek Memorial Lecture in Psychiatric Pharmacogenomics at APA’s 2015 annual meeting.
“I’m moved that APA and its foundation will keep one of David’s biggest dreams alive,” said Mrazek’s widow, Patricia, who was instrumental in establishing the memorial lecture through her dedication and fundraising efforts. “Before he passed away, I had talked to him about the idea of starting a lecture, and he loved it.”
While Mrazek can be highly regarded for his laboratory contributions alone, from his early studies examining psychiatric problems in children with asthma to his pioneering work identifying gene variants for drug-metabolizing enzymes, that does not paint the whole picture of the man.
“It was not just about doing the science but teaching it as well,” Mrs. Mrazek said. “He organized an annual conference at Mayo to help clinicians learn more about the field; he wrote an award-winning textbook on psychiatric pharmacogenomics. This is what his career was about.”
The Mrazek Memorial Lecture, which is being planned as an annual award, will keep with that translational spirit; the awardee each year will be chosen not only for his or her research accomplishments in the psychiatric pharmacogenomics arena, but also for the ability to relate his or her work to a clinical audience.
“This is a fantastic way to honor a true luminary in the field,” said Donald Wright, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Assurex. “I’ve been fortunate to help run a company that keeps David’s legacy alive every day, but this lecture is a great way to get the message out to the broader community.”
James Kennedy, M.D., Is First Recipient
James Kennedy, M.D., will be the inaugural Mrazek lecturer at the 2015 annual meeting in Toronto.
Wright also thinks that Mrazek would be pleased at the selection of James Kennedy, M.D., director of the Neuroscience Research Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, as the inaugural recipient of the Mrazek Memorial Lecture. “I know James through his work on Assurex’s scientific advisory board, and he is a great choice as the first speaker.”
For his part, Kennedy, who is also the I’Anson Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Medical Sciences at the University of Toronto, is thrilled and humbled with this honor.
“It’s particularly special as I had known David for several years and followed him as he was a leader in the pharmacogenomics field,” he said. “He even inspired my research. I have been active in the pharmacogenomics of antipsychotic medications since around 1995, but after meeting David, I developed some interests in the genetics of antidepressants, which was his specialty.”
In homage to Mrazek’s influence, Kennedy will discuss antidepressant genetics for his lecture, which will be titled “Is Psychiatric Medication Selection via Genetic Testing Becoming the Preferred Practice?”
While APA envisions that the Mrazek Memorial Lecture will initially focus on research related to depressive disorders, which comprise the largest body of work, it will likely spread to other topics in the near future.
“The main concern David had when we first discussed the possibility of a lecture a few years back was whether there were enough great scientists we could choose from each year,” said Mrs. Mrazek, who is looking forward to attending the lecture along with other members of Mrazek’s family. “But the field has grown tremendously, and we’ll have no shortage of candidates moving forward.” ■
