Our Research

Psychotropic medications are a central part of the treatment for mental disorders. Many patients benefit from these medications, while others experience limited effects or adverse reactions. This affects patients, their families, and the society as a whole.  

Our research aims to improve healthcare services and enhance the precision of pharmacological treatment in mental health care. We seek to translate knowledge from basic research into practical applications, ensuring that new insights reach patients more quickly and to address existing knowledge gaps.  

Our goal is for more patients to receive the right medication, while contributing to a more effective and sustainable healthcare system through increased use of personalized pharmacotherapy in mental health. 

Our research environment brings together researchers at different stages of their careers, from master’s students and PhD candidates to experienced scientists. With expertise spanning clinical pharmacology, chemistry, pharmacy, biomedical laboratory science, molecular biology, and psychiatry, we work together to advance knowledge and provide valuable training opportunities for future researchers.   

A user representative from Mental Health Norway participates actively in our research projects. The user perspective contributes to relevant project development and dissemination of research findings, and regular meetings are held to discuss the ongoing research, and opportunities to strengthen the patient perspective. 

The center collaborates with national and international research environments. These research partnerships provide access to broader expertise and strengthen the quality of our work. They help ensure that new knowledge is shared, validated and translated into clinical practice, benefiting patients and healthcare services both nationally and internationally. Collaboration is a key driver for advancing the field. 

Educational activities for healthcare professionals are an important way of sharing and implementing our research findings. For many years, we have provided psychopharmacologi courses for psychiatrists and general practitioners, and we have also contributed to the training of physicians specializing in psychiatry and clinical pharmacology.  

We also work to make research‑based knowledge easier to access and use in clinical practice. Our center was the first in Norway to establish CYP genotyping to support individualized dosing of psychotropic medications and other drugs.   

In collaboration with the national health authorities, we have helped develop digital solutions that make pharmacogenetic information available through the patient’s Kjernejournal (‘core health record’). By providing clinicians with relevant information at the point of care, these solutions support more informed mediation choices and enable more personalized treatment.  

Finally, we communicate research-based knowledge directly to patients and user organizations. This work is carried out in collaboration with user representatives ensuring findings are shared in ways that are relevant, understandable, and useful to the people it is intended to benefit.