Predicting treatment outcomes for depression using blood-based molecular markers: a mixed- methods approach

Depression affects over 5.4 million people in England and continues to rise in prevalence. However, only half of patients benefit from their first treatment, and a third experience little improvement after multiple treatment courses. Being able to predict how likely an individual is to benefit from a treatment, and the likelihood of experiencing adverse effects, could support patients and clinicians in choosing an effective treatment earlier. One potentially promising molecular marker is DNA methylation (DNAm), an epigenetic modification influenced by genetic predisposition and environmental factors, in which methyl groups bind to DNA without changing the genetic code.

My PhD project investigates the potential of using blood-based DNA methylation (DNAm) as a predictive biomarker to inform antidepressant treatment decisions and will explore the perspectives of people with experiences of depression on the use of molecular biomarkers in treatment decision-making.

In this talk I will outline my PhD project, including preliminary findings and intended future studies