In clinical psychiatry, objective testing methods are not well established, and diagnoses rely on subjective criteria like patient interviews. This deficit can lead to increased variability and reduced reliability in diagnoses especially when symptoms overlap across multiple conditions. Furthermore, in pharmacotherapy—the primary treatment for many psychiatric disorders—there is considerable individual variability in drug response and adverse effects. These differences are thought to result from both genetic and environmental factors, making prediction challenging. Our division aims to utilize genetic and clinical information to improve diagnostic accuracy, and to promote genomic research enabling prediction of individual patients’ drug treatment responses and adverse effects.

Takeo Saito Associate Professor

Adverse effects are the main cause of reduced treatment quality in psychotropic medications. We are conducting pharmacogenomic studies to understand the mechanisms of adverse effects, and to develop methods for their prediction. In addition, we are advancing research on drug treatment responses and adverse effects, and developing patient stratification methods to improve diagnostic accuracy through genetic statistical approaches, to establish a foundation for precision medicine in psychiatric disorders.