WA FCAP CPD Event - Prof J Rodger, Drs Hryniewicki & Majda

Pharmacogenetics in Antidepressant Prescribing: Towards Precision Mental Health Care

Event information

Price
Free - Members of the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
$20 Fee - Not a member of the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Program time
9am - 10:30am - CPD presentation

Pharmacogenetics in Antidepressant Prescribing: Towards Precision Mental Health Care

Pharmacogenetics (PGx) is transforming the future of prescribing by revealing how genetic variation can shape an individual's response to medicines, including whether a treatment is likely to be effective, poorly tolerated, or require dose adjustment. In mental health care, where antidepressant prescribing often involves trial and error, PGx offers an exciting opportunity to support more precise, safe, and individualised treatment decisions.

This workshop will introduce the rapidly evolving field of pharmacogenetics and its growing relevance to antidepressant prescribing, before moving into an interactive case-based session in which participants will work through clinical scenarios supported by pharmacogenetic reports. Together, these activities will show how genetic information can be interpreted and applied in real-world practice and explore some of the important limitations and challenges that remain in this exciting field.

The workshop forms part of our broader PGx-ADAPT initiative, which is co-designing education and implementation pathways to support pharmacogenetics-guided antidepressant prescribing for young people in Western Australia.

Speakers:
Professor Jennifer Rodger, University of Western Australia and Perron Institute is a leader in neuroscience research and education whose work sits at the interface of discovery science, clinical translation, and workforce development. She has extensive experience in translational brain research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the design of innovative education initiatives that bring emerging science into health practice. In this workshop, she will provide the scientific and clinical context for pharmacogenetics, highlighting why this rapidly advancing field is becoming increasingly important for personalised approaches to mental health care.

Dr Bernadette Majda, Curtin University is an accomplished educator and researcher with expertise in clinically relevant teaching, evidence-informed practice, and the translation of complex knowledge into practical decision-making. Her work supports health professionals to engage confidently with emerging developments in therapeutics and precision medicine, with a strong emphasis on real-world application. In this workshop, she will bring a practical lens to the interpretation of pharmacogenetic information, helping participants explore how PGx reports can be used to inform antidepressant prescribing in everyday clinical contexts.

Dr Jarek Hryniewicki is a Consultant Psychiatrist with longstanding expertise in child and adolescent psychiatry, neurostimulation, and innovative mental health service development. He is a Fellow of the RANZCP and Chair of the WA Faculty of Child Psychiatry, with more than two decades of experience across public and private mental health settings. His clinical and leadership work has focused on improving access to evidence-based, individualised care for young people with mental health disorders. With a strong interest in youth depression and treatment innovation, he contributes expertise in personalised approaches to prescribing, including pharmacogenetic-guided care, alongside neuromodulation and broader psychiatric management. His work reflects a commitment to more precise, effective, and developmentally appropriate treatment options for young people.

Cancellation Policy

Please note that there are to be no refunds should you choose to cancel your registration. This is applicable to non-faculty Members who are charged a nominal fee of $20 as this covers the administration and catering.

Directions

On road parking is available (not free before 5pm). Nearest parking to the office is on Cooper Street. Please do not park in any of the parking bays designated for the office or the other offices in the complex.

The office car park has a new cable gate. Please note that you will need hop out your vehicle and walk up to enter the code which is "5078#" Five, Zero, Seven, Eight, followed by the hash key. The cable will remain down for 30 seconds.

Upon leaving the carpark, you do not have to hop out your vehicle but instead drive up (NOT onto!) the cable. This action will activate a sensor in the driveway, and the cable will drop down, allowing you to exit. The cable gate will rise on its own approximately 30 seconds after you drive away.

We encourage you to turn your engine off and take your car key with you to the keypad as a safety precaution, particularly for evening meetings. We have not had an incident before, and we would like to keep it that way.

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