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Dr. Zhiyao (Hilda) Ma, Dr. Adetola Adesida, Ms. Madeline Barker,

The º£½ÇÉçÇø’s Adesida Lab has earned two major distinctions in recent months: new Canadian Space Agency funding to study cartilage in simulated microgravity and an international award recognizing the next generation of biomedical researchers.

Led by Dr. Adetola Adesida, Full Professor in Surgery and adjunct in Biomedical Engineering, the team was awarded approximately $180,000 from the Canadian Space Agency to explore how cartilage behaves in spaceflight-like conditions. The research could open new avenues in regenerative medicine and orthopaedic care, while strengthening Canada’s role in space health sciences.

At the same time, Dr. Zhiyao (Hilda) Ma, Post-doctoral Fellow, and Ms. Madeline Barker, Master’s student in Engineering, received the Young Investigator Prize at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Gravitational Physiology in Sapporo, Japan. Their recognition reflects both the multidisciplinary nature of the Adesida Lab and the strong mentorship environment fostered by Dr. Adesida.

Beyond these recent achievements, Dr. Adesida’s leadership in cartilage bioengineering is widely recognized. He has published more than 100 papers, trained 18 graduate students, secured $6 million in funding, and holds four patents. His pioneering work employs advanced tools such as 3D bioprinting and microgravity simulation to study cartilage and meniscus mechanobiology.

In recognition of his impact, Dr. Adesida was recently named Associate Editor of the Annals of Biomedical Engineering and elected as a fellow of three international societies: the Orthopaedic Research Society, the International Combined Orthopaedic Research Societies, and the International Cartilage Regeneration and Joint Preservation Society.