Our vision for the Mood Disorders Center begins with identifying causes of illness through scientific research in the realms of genetics and epigenetics (the controls over the expression of genes), and environmental factors like stress. We are devoting extensive laboratory and computer-based analytic efforts towards this goal. Knowledge gained of causes will then be applied towards the development of new treatments through work in neurobiology and pharmacology. Potential new medications, as well as new brain stimulation treatments, are currently being studied for their effectiveness in patients in a clinical trials center. We then study genetic and imaging markers in these treatments with the ultimate goal of tailoring care to patients through personalized medicine.

Learn more about our research program and the studies we are conducting by following the links below. Some studies are currently recruiting participants, while others are closed but we are still gathering contact information for future studies in these areas.

If you have questions or are interested in participating in any of our studies now or in the future, please call us at 410-614-1017 or at 410-550-1652.

Bioinformatics

• Bioinformoodics

Clinical Trials

• Ketamine Trial Research Study (Enrollment Active)
• TMS with Mood Stabilizers in Bipolar Depression (Enrollment closed – collecting contact information for future studies)
• GeneSight Psychotropic on Response to Psychotropic Treatment in Outpatients Suffering from a Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (Enrollment closed – collecting contact information for future studies)

Genetics Research

• The Genomics of Electroconvulsive Therapy (GenECT) Study (Enrollment Active)
• Cellular Models for Mood Disorders ( (Enrollment closed – collecting contact information for future studies)
• Family genetics studies of mood disorders  (Enrollment closed – collecting contact information for future studies)
• Lithium Study: Pharmacogenomics of Mood Stabilizer Response in Bipolar Disorder (Enrollment closed – collecting contact information for future studies)

Personalized Medicine

• NNDC Mood Outcomes Program
• MHi-GO: Mobile Health App for Tracking Mood Disorders Pilot Study

Neuroimaging Studies

• Depression and Brain Imaging (Enrollment OPEN)
• Imaging the role of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the pathophysiology of psychosis (Enrollment OPEN)
• Oxidative Stress and Mood Disorder Trajectories (Enrollment OPEN)
• Imaging Study of Lithium Response in Bipolar Disorder (Enrollment closed – collecting contact information for future studies)

Women's Mood Disorders Studies

• A Pilot Study of Prophylactic Management of Lamotrigine for Bipolar Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, and Schizoaffective Disorder in Pregnant Women
• Neurosteroids and Mood Across the Menstrual Cycle study