Omair Husain

Dr. Husain completed his medical training at St George’s University of London in the UK. His specialty training in psychiatry was also in the UK at the South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust. He has experience of working with mental health services in Australia as well, having spent a year with the North Sydney Local Health District. He is now practising in Toronto as a Clinician Scientist at CAMH and Associate Professor at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto.

Dr. Husain holds an honorary academic position with the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester. The University of Manchester is a leading research-intensive University. Dr Husain also holds a visiting academic position with the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL), as a Clinical Research Scientist. His primary research interests are severe mental illness and suicide prevention. His work also focuses on improving access to appropriate mental health care for ethnic minorities in high-income countries and addressing the huge mental health treatment gap in low and middle-income countries. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, presented at a number of international meetings and is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate training. His work extends to public engagement and addressing stigma through mediums of art and film.  

Research Synopsis

Dr Husain’s research focus is on clinical trials of novel pharmacological agents like Sodium Benzoate, N-Acetylcysteine, Simvastatin and Ondansetron in severe mental illness. He also focuses on psychosocial interventions for severe mental illness, having completed studies on CBT and family intervention for psychosis. He is currently leading the first trial of cognitive remediation therapy and individual placement and support in Pakistan. To date he has published a number of articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals, along with presenting his work at international conferences. He is working on studies funded by Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI), the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). He has successfully been granted funding by the Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning (PILL) to conduct a feasibility trial of novel anti-inflammatory agents for early psychosis. His work spans across two continents and aims to help build capacity and form international partnerships.

Recent Publications

Husain MI, Chaudhry IB, Husain MO, Abrol E, Junejo S, Saghir T, ur Rahman R, Soomro K, Bassett P, Khan SA, Carvalho AF, Husain N. Depression and congestive heart failure: a large prospective cohort study from Pakistan. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2019 May; 120:46-52.

Husain MO, Umer M, Taylor P, Chaudhry N, Kiran T, Ansari S, Chaudhry IB, Husain N. Demographic and Psychosocial Characteristics of Self-harm: The Pakistan Perspective. Psychiatry Research. 2019 Mar 6:12286.

Husain MI, Chaudhry IB, Khoso AB, Husain MO, Rahman RR, Hamirani MM, Hodsoll J, Carvalho AF, Husain N, Young AH. Adjunctive simvastatin for treatment-resistant depression: study protocol of a 12-week randomised controlled trial. BJPsych Open. 2019 Jan;5(1):e13.

Husain MO, Chaudhry IB, Mehmood N, Rehman R, Kazmi A, Hamirani M, Kiran T, Buksh A, Bassett P, Husain MI, Naeem F, Husain N. Pilot randomised controlled trial of culturally adapted cognitive behaviour therapy for psychosis (CaCBTp) in Pakistan. BMC Health Services Research. 2017 Dec 6;17(1):808.

Qurashi I, Chaudhry IB, Khoso AB, Farooque S, Lane S, Husain MO, Chu S, Sarginson J, Hamarani M, Naqvi HA, Razzaque B, Minhas FA, Yung AR, Deakin JFW, Husain N. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of minocycline and/or omega-3 fatty acids added to treatment as usual for at-risk mental states (NAYAB): study protocol. Trials. 2017 Nov 9;18(1):524.

Appointments

Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

Honours and Awards

Name: European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine (EAPM): Young Researcher Travel Award
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Name: ‘Certificate of Merit for completing an outstanding Foundation Learning Portfolio’ during the Foundation Training Programme at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, UK
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Name: Excellence Award for consistent and excellent performance in Simulation at ‘Medisim’ the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Simulation Centre, UK
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Name: ‘Certificate of Merit for outstanding contribution to teaching in F1’, UK
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Grants

2018-2020    Chief Investigator. A Multicentre 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled feasibility study of Sodium Benzoate and/or N-Acetylcysteine added to treatment as usual (TAU) in patients with early schizophrenia. Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning. Grant ID: PILL- Sodium Benzoate & NAC – 001/201. PAK Rupees 1,500,000.