Bio

Dr. Joseph Olajide is an Assistant Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, with a research focus on the neurobiology of disease, particularly Alzheimer’s disease (AD). He grew up in Ilorin, Nigeria, and developed an interest in biological systems in high school. This led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in anatomical sciences at the University of Ilorin. After being inspired by his graduate research mentor, Prof. E.A. Caxton-Matins at the University of Ilorin, Joseph became captivated by the complexity of neural systems and chose to specialize in neurobiology.

During his graduate studies, Joseph’s mentors introduced him to the neurobiology of degenerative disorders and pharmacological interventions. His doctoral work, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Stephen Price’s lab at University College London, focused on AD and highlighted the role of oxidative stress in underlying neuropathology. After completing his Ph.D., Joseph joined Dr. Andres Muro’s lab at the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Italy. His research there focused on pharmacologic and gene therapy interventions for Crigler-Najjar syndrome, a rare metabolic disease that causes neurodegeneration in key brain regions.

Subsequently, Joseph explored the role of glutamate and calcium signaling in the hippocampus, revealing that glutamate hyperactivity in AD could lead to anxiety-like behaviours due to disruptions in emotional processing. This research sparked his interest in how dysfunctions in one brain network might spread to others during AD progression. To delve deeper into how selective neuronal vulnerability drives the spread of dysfunctions in AD, Joseph joined Dr. Andrew Chapman’s lab at Concordia University. There, he developed innovative methods to study AD-related changes in the entorhinal cortex, identifying novel mechanisms of synaptic deregulation, including sex-related differences, that contribute to AD onset.

In 2024, Dr. Olajide established his lab (TOLAB) at Memorial University, focusing on mechanisms driving neuronal vulnerability in the normal aging process and in AD to uncover potential therapeutic targets. 

Outside his academic pursuits, Joseph enjoys playing competitive soccer and represented Canada in the World Corporate Champions Soccer competition in Dubai in 2021.