Dr Mark Horowitz Fellowship at Adelaide University
The Wilson Foundation is pleased to partner with Adelaide University to support Dr Mark Horowitz through a new Fellowship in 2026.
The Fellowship will support his appointment as an Associate Professor with the Critical and Ethical Mental Health (CEMH) research team at the Robinson Research Institute.
Mark’s research will focus on implementing and normalising hyperbolic tapering of antidepressants and catalysing a broader shift away from medication management of anxiety and depression towards more relational and lifestyle based approaches. This will be achieved by increasing recognition of both the risks and limited effectiveness of medication, and by promoting safer, patient-centred alternatives.
As part of this Fellowship, Mark will deliver the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines: Quick Reference Guide; develop clinical education content and undertake an Australian lecture tour in 2026; work on a number of research projects including developing a proposal for a major clinical trial on hyperbolic tapering and a research review into long-term antidepressant use.
“The Critical & Ethical Mental Health research group at Adelaide University is excited to appoint Associate Professor Mark Horowitz to a 12 month fellowship that will continue his vital and influential work on antidepressant withdrawal and deprescribing. His appointment further strengthens the reputation and profile of our research group and the Adelaide University.”
Professor Jon Jureidini, Critical & Ethical Mental Health, Robinson Research Institute
Mark is the co-author of the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and holds a PhD in the neurobiology of depression and antidepressant action. He is internationally recognised as an expert in psychiatric medication withdrawal.
In addition to his new Fellowship, Mark will continue his role as a Clinical Research Fellow in Psychiatry with the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), where he runs a dedicated psychiatric drug deprescribing clinic. He also remains a Visiting Lecturer in Psychopharmacology at King’s College London.
“I’m honoured to be awarded a Wilson Foundation funded fellowship as Associate Professor with the Critical and Ethical Mental Health Research Group at Adelaide University. This opportunity will allow me to advance my work on safely stopping antidepressants and reducing the widespread harms associated with their use, collaborating with researchers, clinicians and patients to drive meaningful change in clinical practice and public health.”
Dr Mark Horowitz, BA BSc(Med) MSc GDPsych MBBS PhD, Associate Professor, Adelaide University
Clinical Research Fellow, National Health Service (UK)
“The Wilson Foundation supports the use of hyperbolic tapering to make antidepressant deprescribing safer and more person-centred. This approach helps minimise side effects, reduce health risks, and ensure medications are used only when truly beneficial. We’re proud to support Mark through this Fellowship as he builds the evidence base and promotes the adoption of this approach in Australian clinical practice.”
Karen Wilson, Director, Wilson Foundation
What is hyperbolic tapering?
Hyperbolic tapering is a method of gradually reducing psychiatric medications (especially antidepressants) in a way that accounts for how the brain adapts to dose changes. Instead of cutting by fixed amounts (e.g. 10 mg each time), hyperbolic tapering uses progressively smaller dose reductions as the total dose gets lower. This is because the effect of a drug on its target receptors typically follows a hyperbolic (curved) relationship: large dose reductions at higher levels have relatively small biological effects, while small dose reductions at lower levels can have large effects.
By tapering in this hyperbolic pattern, withdrawal symptoms can be minimised, allowing the brain more time to adjust and reducing the risk of relapse or severe withdrawal effects.
What is deprescribing?
Deprescribing is a positive, patient-centred intervention carried out under medical supervision. It involves reassessing the role of all medicines to determine if any should be stopped - whether they no longer provide clear benefits, may cause harm, are being used for a condition that is no longer relevant or no longer align with the patient's current goals of care.