Contact Information
Research Interests
My research focuses on understanding how trabecular bone adapts to mechanical loading, with the overarching goal of improving predictions of bone strength and informing targeted interventions for musculoskeletal disorders. I use a combination of experimental techniques and high-resolution, image-based micro-finite element (μFE) modeling to investigate how mechanical stimuli affect bone remodeling and structural integrity. My work integrates computational simulations with histological and morphometric analyses to validate predictions and provide deeper insight into the mechanobiology of bone in both healthy and pathological conditions.
Education
Ph.D. in Mechanical and Materials Engineering – Queen's University
M.A.Sc. in Mechanical and Materials Engineering – Queen's University
B.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering (Biomechanics) – Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
Expertise
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Micro-Finite Element Analysis (μFEA)
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Biomechanics
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Imaging
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Bone Mechanobiology
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Ex vivo Bone Culture
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Bone Histology
Personal Interests
Outside the lab, I enjoy playing the piano and find inspiration in classical music. I also enjoy watercolor painting, which allows me to express creativity and observe the world from a more intuitive and visual perspective. I also love spending time in nature, hiking is one of my favorite ways to recharge and reflect.
Selected Publications
See Google Scholar for full list of publications.
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Mahsa Zojaji, Keyvan Ferasat, McKinley Van Klei, Hao Sun, Kail Beloglowka, Brian Kunath, Roshni Rainbow, Heidi-Lynn Ploeg, Laurent Karim Béland, "Elastic response of trabecular bone under compression calculated using the firm and floppy boundary lattice element method." Journal of Biomechanics 172 (2024): 112209.
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Mahsa Zojaji, Baixuan Yang, Caitlyn J. Collins, Thomas D. Crenshaw, Heidi-Lynn Ploeg, Accurate measurement of a bone surrogate flexural rigidity in three- and four-point bending, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, Volume 167, 2025, 106986, ISSN 1751-6161,
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Distefano, F.; Epasto, G.; Zojaji, M.; Ploeg, H.-L. Mechanical Design of a Novel Functionally Graded Lattice Structure for Long Bone Scaffolds. Designs 2025, 9, 62.