Operant Approaches for Advancing Next-Generation Antidepressant Drugs

Despite decades of research, developing drugs for the central nervous system (CNS) still faces significant challenges. The vast majority of compounds targeting psychiatric conditions fail in clinical trials, with particularly high attrition rates for antidepressants. Traditional approaches such as the forced swim test have provided valuable insights but fall short in capturing the complexity and heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders, including depression, ADHD, schizophrenia and OCD.

This webinar will explore the emerging role of operant conditioning paradigms in modeling neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. By breaking down complex syndromes into measurable endophenotypes such as inattention, apathy, low motivation and emotional bias, operant approaches provide a powerful framework for evaluating novel therapeutics. Case studies, such as those involving tetrabenazine-induced low-performing rats and naturally occurring low-attentive phenotypes, highlight how endophenotype-driven models can more closely mirror human disease and thereby improve translational relevance.

Attendees will gain insights into the future of operant methodologies for drug discovery, including how endophenotype-based assays can help overcome the limitations of induced models and enhance the predictive validity of these approaches. By deconstructing complex psychiatric conditions into component behaviors, researchers can refine preclinical testing strategies and better align outcomes with clinical endpoints.

Register now to learn how next-generation operant approaches are shaping the future of antidepressant and ADHD drug discovery, moving beyond traditional assays toward more translational, patient-relevant models.

Speakers

Guy Higgins, PhD, Global CSO, Transpharmation Ltd., Adjunct Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto

Dr. Higgins has significant experience in CNS drug discovery and early clinical development, exemplified by contributions to over 15 NCEs entering the IND enabling phase, and three reaching the market. He is the listed inventor of more than 20 patents and has authored over 160 original research papers and review articles published in peer-reviewed journals spanning a 35-year period. Since 2008, he has focused on using this experience in the domain of contract research, supporting clients in their drug R&D efforts.

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Parisa Moazen, PhD, Scientific Director, Global Scientific Representative of Cognition and Aging, Transpharmation Ltd

Dr. Parisa Moazen completed her PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience under the supervision of Dr. Saeed Semnanian at Tarbiat Modares University in Iran, before undertaking advanced training in the laboratory of Professor Trevor Robbins at the University of Cambridge, a global leader in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. She subsequently pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Calgary in the laboratory of Dr. Deborah Kurrasch, where she deepened her expertise in translational neuroscience. Dr. Moazen joined Transpharmation in 2024 as Scientific Director of the Operant Platform, a powerful tool in drug discovery that provides sensitive, translational measures of cognition, motivation and decision-making closely aligned with human clinical endpoints. These readouts are directly applicable to research across a range of therapeutic areas, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, ADHD and others. By leveraging these approaches, Dr. Moazen supports clients in advancing their research and development programs, helping to bridge the gap between preclinical models and therapeutic applications.

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