Fadia Kamal

Fadia Kamal, PharmD, PhD is an Associate Professor holding dual appointments in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation and the Department of Cell and Biological Systems. She leads research at the Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceuticals (CCNPP) with a strong publication record including 33 research outputs and an h-index of 18 based on Scopus data.

Dr. Kamal's research focuses on cellular pathways that control chondrocyte homeostasis in healthy tissue and the pathological processes leading to cartilage damage in osteoarthritis. Her work investigates how chondrocytes transform into pathological cells that cause cartilage degradation, with particular interest in discovering new pathways and drugs to control chondrocyte behavior and potentially reverse osteoarthritis progression. Her laboratory also explores the therapeutic potential of non-euphorigenic cannabis compounds for bone fracture pain management and healing.

Her recent publications demonstrate a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research combining orthopedics, molecular biology, immunology, and pharmacology. The work spans from fundamental cellular mechanisms in osteoarthritis to applied therapeutic development, with particular emphasis on cannabis-based treatments, immune responses in fracture healing, and novel imaging techniques. Her research shows increasing collaboration across multiple institutions and disciplines.

Scientific Awards:

• Samuel Hinkle Junior Faculty Research Scholar Award (2022) - widely recognized with coverage by 5 news outlets, blogged by 1 source, posted by 38 X users, and shared on 1 Facebook page with 33 Mendeley readers

Dr. Kamal serves as Principal Investigator on significant research projects, most notably the NIH-funded 'Therapeutic targeting of GPCR Gbetagamma-GRK2 in osteoarthritis' project (2019-2023) from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Her mentorship is evident through numerous co-authored publications with junior researchers who appear to be her students and postdoctoral fellows. She maintains active collaborations across immunology, bone healing, and natural product pharmacology research areas.

Her work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to health and well-being, with research spanning osteoarthritis, heart failure progression, chondrocyte biology, and G protein-coupled receptor research. The Kamal lab maintains strong connections with the Center for Cannabis and Natural Product Pharmaceuticals, indicating a specialized research focus on natural compounds for musculoskeletal conditions.