Elizabeth Osuch MD
Professor
Rea Chair of Affective Disorders
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Med School: | Michigan State University, College of Human Medicine |
| Residency: | Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Health System | |
| Additional Training: | Research Fellowship -- National Institute of Mental Health, Biological Psychiatry Branch | |
| Clinical area of expertise | Mood disorders and treatment, trauma disorders and treatment, brief psychodynamic psychotherapy, systems evaluation | |
| Email: | elizabeth.osuch@lhsc.on.ca | |
| Administrative Partner: | Ellen Annett | |
| Administrative Contact Information: | ellen.annett@lhsc.on.ca 519.646.6000 x65188 |
Profile
As the Rea Chair of Affective Disorders, Dr. Osuch developed the First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program (FEMAP) in 2006, a clinical research and treatment program emphasizing early identification and intervention for mood and anxiety disorders (with and without secondary addictions) in an outpatient, youth-friendly setting. This has now been expanded to two sites within London and serves as a model for early intervention in moderate to severe affective disorders nationally and internationally. The program supports research in mood disorders as well as providing clinical care.
Dr. Osuch's research involves two "streams". One biological psychiatry and the other health systems evaluation research.Dr. Osuch conducts functional brain imaging research in mood disorders in youth populations and is working to identify fMRI biomarkers that make predictions of medication-class of response in emerging adults presenting with depression (major depressive disorder versus bipolar disorder). This work involves artificial intelligence algorithms and collaborations with colleagues at Georgia State University. She does translational research in collaboration with faculty in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, related to nicotine and cannabis exposure in adolescence, identifying brain changes related to adolescent exposure. Her biological research also includes work investigating potential treatment for weight gain in response to psychiatric medication using prebiotic administration. This work is in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Human Microbiome and Probiotics at Lawson.
The second stream of Dr. Osuch’s research involves health system evaluation and includes intermediate and long-term evaluation of the FEMAP model, as well as qualitative studies of patient experiences at FEMAP. This incorporates measurement of treatment outcomes as well as cost analyses and system implications of cost differences between FEMAP and usual care. The research also includes an evaluation of the implementation of a measurement-based care platform to enhance patient care. This work is in collaboration with colleagues in the Departments of Family Medicine and the Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Collaborators also include academic and corporate partners in Australia.
Dr. Osuch also works with a national team developing an artificial intelligence chatbot for system navigation within mental health and addiction resources. This work is in collaboration with the University of Alberta.
Dr. Osuch is cross appointed in the Department of Medical Biophysics and is part of the Lawson Research Health Institute in Neuroimaging in Mental Health.
