Aillette Mulet Sierra

Aillette is a Research Technician in Dr. Adetola Adesida Laboratory, Surgery Department, University of Alberta. She has a MSc degree in Biochemistry and twenty years of experience in Translational Research. Her background knowledge areas include Molecular Immunology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Molecular Biology.  Since 2010, She has been working in developing cell-based tissue engineering strategies to facilitate repair or regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues in collaboration with orthopedic surgeons at Dr.  Adesida Laboratory. She is involved in different research projects and in the training of graduated and undergraduate students. Also, she has been responsible for all the administrative work related with the laboratory day to day operation.

Melanie Kunze

Melanie completed her Biology Laboratory Technician diploma in Frankfurt and worked as a Laboratory Technician in research and development at Æterna Zentaris GmbH and c-LEcta GmbH as well as in molecular diagnostics at αΩ Labor Medizinische Kooperationsgemeinschaft GbR. Since 2016 she has been working in Dr. Adetola Adesida’s lab under the nasal reconstruction project. Additionally, one of her main responsibilities within the lab is to take care of molecular biology related tasks, including qRT-PCR, for the entire research group as well as student training and administrative work.

Dr. Shikha Chawla

Dr Shikha Chawla completed her PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi in

Biomedical Engineering in 2018. She received distinction and several innovation awards for

her doctoral thesis research. She is a recipient of the prestigious Swiss Government

Excellence fellowship which she exercised at the University Hospital Basel, Switzerland, as a

postdoctoral fellow to develop a human osteoarthritis (OA) model. She worked as a

postdoctoral fellow at McGill University where she worked on determining peptide

bioactivity of anti-fibrotic peptides using cell-based assays and development of in vitro and in

vivo fibrotic models. Her research interest includes osteoarthritis, 3D bioprinting, cartilage

repair. She is deeply interested to continue and pursue biomedical research owing to her

passion for joint tissue regeneration.

Dr. Xiaoyi Lan

Xiaoyi Lan is a PhD student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cross-disciplinary Program, University of Alberta. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, University of Alberta. She is currently co-supervised by Dr. Yaman Boluk (Engineering), and Dr. Adesida (Surgery). Her research is focused on advancing the capabilities of human nasal fabrication. Specifically, she is working on 3D bioprinting of mechanical robust cartilage for nasal reconstructive surgery and in bioink rheological analysis. 

Zhiyao (Hilda) Ma

Hilda underwent training as a biomedical engineer in Hong Kong, achieving her master's degree in the same field at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. Presently, she serves as a PhD candidate within the surgery department, working under the guidance of Dr. Adesida Adetola. Her current research focuses on utilizing tissue engineered constructs as simulation models to investigate the molecular mechanisms of osteoarthritis in conditions mimicking microgravity. 

Mehdi Keikha

Mehdi is a Ph.D. student at the Dr. Adesida's Lab. He obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering from Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnique) and Iran University of Science and Technology. He also had done some research in multidisciplinary Research Centers, Especially in the field of Tissue Engineering and regenerative medicine. In his Master's Project, he used decellularized human amniotic membrane for fabricating a novel hydrogel scaffold which could be a promising candidate for Cartilage tissue Repair. His proposed hydrogel can mimic the native articular cartilage with its enhanced physiochemical and biological properties. His passion for biomedical research drives him to study and understand the underlying mechanisms of joint diseases and cell-biomaterials interactions

Fathima Shajahan 

Fathima is a Ph.D. student in the cross-disciplinary program of the Department of Civil Engineering and the Department of Surgery, supervised by Dr.Boluk and Dr.Adesida. Graduating with Bachelor of Dental Surgery, her academic path evolved with a Master of Technology in Biomedical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad. Her master’s Thesis was on developing a 3D printed Guided Tissue Regeneration (GTR) membrane targeting periodontal bone and gingival regeneration. This membrane features a bi-layered design with Silk Methacrylate Hydrogel on one side and skin dECM on the other side.

Alexander Perry

Alex is a Plastic Surgery resident at the University of Alberta and is enrolled in the Clinical Investigator Program. He is currently pursuing an MSc under the supervision of Dr. Adesida. He obtained his bachelor's in Biology with a major in Zoology from the University of Calgary, where he also completed an MSc in Cellular Physiology. Afterwards, he completed his MD from the University of Alberta. His research focuses on tissue engineering nasal cartilages for nasal reconstructive surgery.

Madeline Barker

Madeline is a Master of Science student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta where she also obtained her undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering. Under the supervision of both Dr. Adetola Adesida (Surgery) and Dr. Lindsey Westover (Engineering), her research involves 3D bioprinting of human meniscus as well as analyzing the mechanical effects of mechano-hypoxia conditioning on engineered human menisci. Madeline hopes to use her Civil Engineering background to lend a unique perspective to the world of tissue engineering. 

Alex Szojka

Alex Szojka is a graduate of biology and mechanical engineering programs at the University of Calgary. He joined Dr Adesida’s research group in 2015 to create biomimetic 3D printed meniscus scaffolds for meniscus tissue engineering. Alex returned from 2016-2021 to complete his PhD in Experimental Surgery. In close collaboration with colleagues, he developed a strategy called, “mechano-hypoxia conditioning” to enhance formation of engineered human meniscus fibrocartilage.

Alex can be reached at aszojka@ualberta.ca or via Linkedin (linkedin.com/in/szojka).

Dr. Michael Turner

Dr. Michael Turner is a Master of Science (Surgery) Student in the University of Alberta Department of Surgery working in the lab of Dr. Adetola Adesida. He is currently a Graduate Research Assistantship Fellow of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.  His research focuses on the repair of the avascular portion of the meniscus. Current efforts are focused on the enhancement of collagen scaffolds using chondrogenically primed mesenchymal stem cells to generate scaffold characteristics which are favorable for meniscus repair. His other focus is on delivery systems for these repair substrates with a particular interest in injectable hydrogels and reconstituted lyophilized tissue. Dr. Turner is looking to enter into an orthopedic residency at the conclusion of his MSc, with a focus on sports medicine.

Dr. Yan Liang

Yan Liang graduated from a 7-year joint MD and MSc program at Shantou University Medical School (SUMC) in 2014. He was trained in the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of SUMC as a plastic surgeon in the last two years. After graduation, he was awarded funding from the Li Ka Shing Foundation for a 4-year PhD program. He joined Dr. Adesida’s lab in 2014 working in meniscus tissue engineering using autologous stem cells, supported by research grants from CIHR, ECECAF, UHF, and the Alberta Cancer Foundation. His latest work was for projects working in engineering high-quality autologous cartilage grafts for nasal reconstruction. He successfully defended his PhD thesis in late 2019.

Margaret Vyhlidal

Margaret Vyhlidal is a Master of Science (MSc) student in the Department of Surgery in Dr. Adetola Adesida’s laboratory at the University of Alberta. She obtained her Bachelor of Science (BSc) Honours degree in Physiology at the University of Alberta with a primary focus in cell physiology. Her research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie how meniscus cells sense, interpret, and respond to mechanical stimuli through a process known as mechanotransduction. Margaret has received a number of studentships including the national 2021/2022 Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship- Master’s (NSERC). She is grateful to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, and the University of Alberta Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research for their support in her work. Upon finishing her MSc degree, Margaret is looking to enter medical school at a Canadian institution. Margaret enjoys spending her free time outdoors and engaging in many different physical activities including hiking, scrambling, rock climbing, skiing, and kickboxing.

David Li

David Li is an undergraduate student in Civil Engineering at the University of Alberta. He joined the lab in May 2020, where his project focused on developing mechano-hypoxia conditioning as a strategy to enhance formation of engineered human meniscus fibrocartilage. He is further developing this strategy using mesenchymal stem cells and hyaluronan hydrogels to engineer articular cartilage. David optimistically hopes to apply his civil engineering knowledge in a biology-related field.

Malou Sopcak

Malou Sopcak is an undergraduate student completing a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in biology with a minor in philosophy at the University of Alberta. Since joining the lab in May 2020, her research has focused on determining whether soluble factors released from engineered nasal cartilage are able to induce chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells. She is interested in further identifying the signalling molecules responsible for promoting chondrogenesis. Notable achievements include placing second in a watermelon-eating contest in a 2017 rugby tournament.

Jaden Majumdar

Jaden Majumdar is a 1st year student at U of T in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering, in the Engineering Science program. He works in the lab as a summer student at the U of A in the Department of Experimental Surgery, supervised by Dr. Adetola Adesida. His research focuses on biomechanics and how they affect the growth of cartilage, mainly in meniscus. The project he most recently worked on was centered on the effects of dynamic and cyclic-hydrostatic-pressure forms of mechanical loading on chondrogenesis, as well as the effects of the cells’ environment, such as the presence of growth factors, on their growth and development. Jaden aspires to gain a greater knowledge in the field of biomechanics, and conduct research in the future.