Dzenita Muratovic

Research Interests

Ageing, Frailty and Mobility Musculoskeletal Health Translational Health Outcomes Arthritis & Rheumatology Biomedical imaging Computational imaging Image Processing Pathology Cancer Therapy Orthopaedics Cancer Cell Biology Surgery

Dr Dzenita Muratovic

Grant-Funded Research Associate

School of Medicine

College of Health

Dr Dzenita Muratovic, PhD (Medicine), BHlthSc (Pathology-Hons), BMedSc, is a translational musculoskeletal researcher with expertise in human osteoarthritis, bone pathology and advanced tissue and imaging-based research.
Her research focuses particularly on subchondral bone pathology, osteochondral tissue degeneration and the mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis. She integrates advanced imaging, quantitative histopathology, histomorphometry and molecular approaches to investigate bone–joint interactions and identify clinically relevant mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.
Dr Muratovic has developed a strong research track record in human musculoskeletal disease, including lead and senior-authored publications, competitive research funding, national and international research recognition, and interdisciplinary collaborations spanning orthopaedics, pathology, imaging, cancer research and biomedical science. Her work has contributed to understanding the role of subchondral bone and the osteocyte network in osteoarthritis and, more recently, to the development of quantitative approaches for distinguishing septic from aseptic bone pathology.
Building on this expertise, she is now leading an emerging research program investigating musculoskeletal health in cancer survivors. Supported by a Research Fellowship (2025–2028), this program examines how cancer and cancer therapies influence joint health and osteoarthritis development, integrating longitudinal MRI, patient-reported outcomes, biomarkers and human tissue analysis.
Alongside her academic research, Dr Muratovic brings more than 20 years of experience as a medical scientist in anatomical pathology and histopathology at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and SA Pathology. This clinical and diagnostic background provides a strong foundation for her translational research and enables her to bridge fundamental tissue pathology, advanced imaging and clinically relevant patient questions.
Her broader academic contributions include interdisciplinary research collaboration, student and researcher supervision, advanced microscopy and imaging expertise, research capacity building, professional service and translation of research into intellectual property and emerging clinical applications.
Her overarching aim is to lead clinically relevant and methodologically innovative research that advances understanding of musculoskeletal disease and ultimately improves bone and joint health and quality of life.

Date Position Institution name
2025 - ongoing Postdoctoral Research Fellow Adelaide University
2022 - 2025 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide
2021 - 2022 Arthritis Australia Fellow University of Adelaide
2018 - 2021 Postdoctoral Researcher University of Adelaide, Adelaide
2004 - ongoing Medical Scientist SA Pathology

Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
2025 Award ANZORS "Minghao Zheng" Orthopaedic Innovation Award Australia and New Zeeland Orthopaedic Research Societies Australia -
2022 Award Bridging Overseas Network Exchange (B.O.N.E) Award 2022 ANZBMS Australia -
2021 Fellowship Arthritis Australia Fellowship Arthritis Australia Australia -
2021 Achievement New Investigator Recognition Award (NIRA) finalist Orthopaedic Research Society 2021 Annual Meeting. United States -
2021 Award 2021 ECTS New Investigator Award European Calcified Tissue Society Belgium -
2021 Award ARA The Best Basic Science Poster for 2021 Australian Rheumatology Association Australia -
2021 Achievement Early Career Researcher award (Finalist) Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) Australia -
2020 Award The Best Bone Biology Image International Society of Bone Morphometry Belgium -
2020 Award Emerging Scientist Showcase Award Bone Health Foundation Australia -
2020 Achievement Best Guest Nation Poster Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) United States -
2019 Award Finalist, Orthopaedic Innovation Award category, 25nd Annual Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) Conference, Canberra, Australia, October 04-06, 2019 Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) Australia -
2019 Achievement Finalist in the Early Career Researcher award category, 25nd Annual Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) Conference, Canberra, Australia, October 04-06, 2019 Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) Australia -
2018 Distinction Dean’s Commendation for Doctoral Thesis Excellence University of Adelaide Australia -
2016 Award Young investigator award at 9th International Workshop on Osteoarthritis Imaging, Oulu, Finland, 2016 International Workshop on Osteoarthritis Imaging, Oulu, Finland Finland 300 €
2016 Nomination Ross Wishart Memorial Award 2016 ASMR Australia -
2016 Award Young Investigator Award at AAOS/ORS Research Symposium AAOS/ORS United States -
2015 Award Christopher & Margie Nordin Young Investigator Poster Award ANZBMS Australia 500 $
2015 Award Best Clinical Science Free Paper for 2015 The Australian Rheumatology Association (ARA) Australia 3000$
2014 Award School of Medicine Prize University of Adelaide Australia 200
2014 Award Florey Medical Research Foundation Prize The University of Adelaide Australia 700$

Language Competency
Bosnian Can read, write, speak, understand spoken and peer review

Date Institution name Country Title
2013 - 2018 University of Adelaide Australia Doctor of Philosophy
2009 - 2012 The University of Adelaide Australia Bachelor Degree in Health Science (First Class Honours)
2001 - 2004 University of Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina Bachelor Degree in Medical Laboratory

Year Citation
2026 Sun, Q., Muratovic, D., Anderson, P. H., Sawyer, R., Tsangari, H., Solomon, L. B., . . . Yang, D. (2026). Accurate quantification of the bacterial inoculum and tissue load in a preclinical model of implant-related infection. Bone & Joint Research, 15(4), 375-382.
DOI Scopus1 WoS1 Europe PMC2
2026 Quinn, M. J., Findlay, D. M., Quarrington, R. D., Solomon, L. B., & Muratovic, D. (2026). Osteocyte and vascular network in hip osteoarthritis: A multimodal imaging and histological analysis. Bone, 211, 8 pages.
DOI
2026 Muratovic, D., Quarrington, R. D., Yang, D., Kogawa, M., Nelson, R., Ramasamy, B., . . . Atkins, G. J. (2026). A bone histological approach to distinguish periprosthetic joint infection from aseptic osteolysis in revision joint replacement. Bone & Joint Research, 15(8), 973-986.
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC1
2026 Huynh, K., Findlay, D. M., Labrinidis, A., Solomon, L. B., & Muratovic, D. (2026). Osteocyte lacunar and cellular characteristics in the subchondral bone plate and trabecular bone of human knee osteoarthritis. Bone, 213, 8 pages.
DOI
2025 Zhang, T., Zhang, Q., Wei, J., Dai, Q., Muratovic, D., Zhang, W., . . . Gu, Z. (2025). Nanoparticle-enabled molecular imaging diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Materials Today Bio, 33, 23 pages.
DOI Scopus11 WoS11 Europe PMC4
2024 Muratovic, D., Atkins, G. J., & Findlay, D. M. (2024). Is RANKL a potential molecular target in osteoarthritis?. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 32(5), 493-500.
DOI Scopus19 WoS19 Europe PMC15
2024 Sun, Q., Huynh, K., Muratovic, D., Gunn, N. J., Zelmer, A. R., Solomon, L. B., . . . Yang, D. (2024). Rapid bacterial evaluation beyond the colony forming unit in osteomyelitis. eLife, 13, RP93698-1-RP93698-11.
DOI WoS3
2024 Sun, Q., Huynh, K., Muratovic, D., Gunn, N. J., Zelmer, A. R., Solomon, L. B., . . . Yang, D. (2024). Author response: Rapid bacterial evaluation beyond the colony forming unit in osteomyelitis.
DOI
2023 Le, T. N., Muratovic, D., & Linacre, A. (2023). Recording and analysing DNA from osteocytes in resin-embedded bone samples. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 19(2), 160-168.
DOI Scopus1
2023 Muratovic, D., Findlay, D. M., Quinn, M. J., Quarrington, R. D., Solomon, L. B., & Atkins, G. J. (2023). Microstructural and cellular characterisation of the subchondral trabecular bone in human knee and hip osteoarthritis using synchrotron tomography. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 31(9), 1224-1233.
DOI Scopus14 WoS14 Europe PMC9
2022 Muratovic, D., Findlay, D. M., Quarrington, R. D., Cao, X., Solomon, L. B., Atkins, G. J., & Kuliwaba, J. S. (2022). Elevated levels of active Transforming Growth Factor β1 in the subchondral bone relate spatially to cartilage loss and impaired bone quality in human knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 30(6), 896-907.
DOI Scopus22 WoS20 Europe PMC17
2022 Le, T. N., Muratovic, D., Handt, O., Henry, J., & Linacre, A. (2022). DNA profiling from human bone cells in the absence of decalcification and DNA extraction. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 67(4), 1690-1696.
DOI Scopus3 WoS3 Europe PMC2
2022 Dorraki, M., Muratovic, D., Fouladzadeh, A., Verjans, J. W., Allison, A., Findlay, D. M., & Abbott, D. (2022). Hip osteoarthritis: A novel network analysis of subchondral trabecular bone structures. PNAS Nexus, 1(5), pgac258-1-pgac258-11.
DOI Scopus8 WoS7 Europe PMC5
2021 Lee, Y. -R., Findlay, D. M., Muratovic, D., & Kuliwaba, J. S. (2021). Greater heterogeneity of the bone mineralisation density distribution and low bone matrix mineralisation characterise tibial subchondral bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis patients. Bone, 149(115979), 1-10.
DOI Scopus14 WoS12 Europe PMC8
2021 Le, T. N., Muratovic, D., Handt, O., Henry, J., & Linacre, A. (2021). A novel approach for rapid cell assessment to estimate DNA recovery from human bone tissue. Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology, 17(4), 649-659.
DOI Scopus3 WoS2
2020 Lee, Y., Findlay, D., Muratovic, D., Gill, T., & Kuliwaba, J. (2020). Raman microspectroscopy demonstrates reduced mineralization of subchondral bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis patients. Bone Reports, 12(100269), 100269-1-100269-9.
DOI Scopus9 WoS7 Europe PMC6
2019 Muratovic, D., Findlay, D. M., Cicuttini, F. M., Wluka, A. E., Lee, Y. R., Edwards, S., & Kuliwaba, J. S. (2019). Bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis: regional differences in tibial subchondral bone microstructure and their association with cartilage degeneration. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 27(11), 1653-1662.
DOI Scopus45 WoS41 Europe PMC44
2018 Muratovic, D., Findlay, D., Cicuttini, F., Wluka, A., Lee, Y. -R., & Kuliwaba, J. (2018). Bone matrix microdamage and vascular changes characterize bone marrow lesions in the subchondral bone of knee osteoarthritis. Bone, 108, 193-201.
DOI Scopus67 WoS59 Europe PMC56
2016 Muratovic, D., Cicuttini, F., Wluka, A., Findlay, D., Wang, Y., Otto, S., . . . Kuliwaba, J. (2016). Bone marrow lesions detected by specific combination of MRI sequences are associated with severity of osteochondral degeneration. Arthritis Research and Therapy, 18(1), 54-1-54-11.
DOI Scopus57 WoS57 Europe PMC51
2016 Briggs, M., Kuliwaba, J., Muratovic, D., Everest-Dass, A., Packer, N., Findlay, D., & Hoffmann, P. (2016). MALDI mass spectrometry imaging of N-glycans on tibial cartilage and subchondral bone proteins in knee osteoarthritis. Proteomics, 16(11-12), 1736-1741.
DOI Scopus46 WoS43 Europe PMC42

Year Citation
2019 Kuliwaba, J. S., Lee, Y. -R., Muratovic, D., Gill, T. K., & Findlay, D. M. (2019). BIOCHEMICAL PROFILING OF BONE MARROW LESIONS IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS PATIENTS: ALTERED MINERALIZATION OF THE SUBCHONDRAL BONE MATRIX. In OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE Vol. 27 (pp. S111). Toronto, CANADA: ELSEVIER SCI LTD.
DOI WoS1
2018 Kuliwaba, J., Lee, Y. -R., Muratovic, D., & Findlay, D. (2018). RAMAN SPECTRAL IMAGING OF BONE MARROW LESIONS IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: ALTERED BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE SUBCHONDRAL BONE MATRIX. In INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL Vol. 48 (pp. 8). WILEY.
2018 Kuliwaba, J., Lee, Y. -R., Muratovic, D., & Findlay, D. (2018). Biochemical Profiling of MRI-detected Bone Marrow Lesions in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: Altered Mineralization of the Subchondral Bone Matrix. In JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH Vol. 33 (pp. 247). Montreal, CANADA: WILEY.
2015 Muratovic, D., Cicuttini, F. M., Wluka, A., Wang, Y., Findlay, D. M., Otto, S., . . . Kuliwaba, J. S. (2015). BONE MARROW LESIONS DETECTED BY DIFFERENT MAGNETIC RESONANCE SEQUENCES AS POTENTIAL BIOMARKERS FOR KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: COMPREHENSIVE TISSUE LEVEL ANALYSIS. In OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE Vol. 23 (pp. A303-A305). Seattle, WA: ELSEVIER SCI LTD.
DOI WoS1
2015 Muratovic, D., Cicuttini, F. M., Wluka, A., Wang, Y., Findlay, D., Otto, S., . . . Kuliwaba, J. (2015). BONE MARROW LESIONS DETECTED BY TWO MRI SEQUENCES ASSOCIATE WITH SEVERITY OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. In INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL Vol. 45 (pp. 6). WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2015 Muratovic, D., Wluka, A., Cicuttini, F. M., Wang, Y., Findlay, D., Otto, S., . . . Lee, Y. (2015). KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: METABOLIC SYNDROME IN PATIENTS WITH TIBIAL BONE MARROW LESIONS. In INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL Vol. 45 (pp. 17). WILEY-BLACKWELL.
2014 Kuliwaba, J., Lee, Y., Naas, S., Muratovic, D., Humphries, J., & Findlay, D. (2014). THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SUBCHONDRAL BONE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: MICRODAMAGE ACCUMULATION, OSTEOCYTE CELL DEFICIENCY AND BONE MARROW HYPERVASCULARITY. In INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL Vol. 44 (pp. 1). WILEY-BLACKWELL.
DOI

Year Citation
2022 Muratovic, D., Quarrington, R., Mulaibrahimovic, A., & Jones, C. (2022). Bone marrow lesions and cysts in the cervical facets. Poster session presented at the meeting of 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting, Spine Society of Australia, 2022. Darwin.
2021 Muratovic, D., Findlay, D. M., Masri, H. H., Stapledon, C. J., Lee, Y., Cao, X., . . . Kuliwaba, J. S. (2021). ELEVATED LEVELS OF ACTIVE TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR beta 1 IN THE SUBCHONDRAL BONE RELATE SPATIALLY TO IMPAIRED BONE QUALITY AND CARTILAGE LOSS IN HUMAN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. Poster session presented at the meeting of OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE. ELSEVIER SCI LTD.
DOI
2021 Lee, Y. R. O., Briggs, M., Kuliwaba, J., Hoffmann, P., Muratovic, D., & Anderson, P. (2021). MASS SPECTROMETRY TISSUE IMAGING IDENTIFIES COMPLEX/HYBRID-TYPE N-GLYCANS AS PUTATIVE NOVEL CARTILAGE DEGRADATION MARKERS FOR HUMAN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. Poster session presented at the meeting of INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL. WILEY.
2021 Muratovic, D., Findlay, D., Lee, R. Y., Quarrington, R., & Kuliwaba, J. (2021). ELEVATED LEVELS OF ACTIVE TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR B1 IN THE SUBCHONDRAL BONE RELATE SPATIALLY TO THE SEVERITY OF HUMAN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. Poster session presented at the meeting of INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL. WILEY.
2014 Kuliwaba, J. S., Lee, Y. -R., Naas, S., Muratovic, D., Humphries, J. M., & Findlay, D. M. (2014). THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SUBCHONDRAL CANCELLOUS BONE IN POSTMENOPAUSAL KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS: DIFFUSE MICRODAMAGE ACCUMULATION, OSTEOCYTE CELL DEFICIENCY AND BONE MARROW HYPERVASCULARITY. Poster session presented at the meeting of OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARTILAGE. Paris, FRANCE: ELSEVIER SCI LTD.
DOI
2014 Muratovic, D., Cicuttini, F. M., Wluka, A., Wang, Y., Findlay, D., Otto, S., . . . Kuliwaba, J. (2014). BONE MARROW LESIONS IN KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS. Poster session presented at the meeting of INTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL. WILEY-BLACKWELL.

Year Citation
2026 Sun, Q., Muratovic, D., Tsangari, H., Sawyer, R. K., Hossain, M. A., Solomon, L. B., . . . Atkins, G. J. (2026). Quantification of bone loss, periosteal bone formation and novel histopathological changes in a mouse implant-related
<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>
infection model.
DOI
2026 Hossain, M. A., Muratovic, D., Sun, Q., Ramasamy, B., Solomon, L. B., Hurtado, P. R., & Atkins, G. J. (2026). Human Osteocytes Express MHC Class II and Act as Non-classical Antigen-Presenting Cells During Bacterial Infection.
DOI
2024 Sun, Q., Huynh, K., Muratovic, D., Gunn, N. J., Zelmer, A. R., Solomon, L. B., . . . Yang, D. (2024). Beyond the Colony-Forming-Unit: Rapid Bacterial Evaluation in Osteomyelitis.
DOI Scopus1 Europe PMC8
2024 Sun, Q., Huynh, K., Muratovic, D., Gunn, N. J., Zelmer, A. R., Solomon, L. B., . . . Yang, D. (2024). Beyond the Colony-Forming-Unit: Rapid Bacterial Evaluation in Osteomyelitis.
DOI
2024 Sun, Q., Huynh, K., Muratovic, D., Gunn, N. J., Zelmer, A. R., Solomon, L. B., . . . Yang, D. (2024). Beyond the Colony-Forming-Unit: Rapid Bacterial Evaluation in Osteomyelitis.
DOI
2023 Sun, Q., Huynh, K., Muratovic, D., Gunn, N., Zelmer, A., Solomon, B., . . . Yang, D. (2023). Beyond the Colony-Forming-Unit: Rapid Bacterial Evaluation in Osteomyelitis.
DOI

Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
2025 Co-Supervisor Utility of nucleic acid sequencing for improving diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Kimberley Huynh
2025 Co-Supervisor Pathologic bone matrix destruction: help or hindrance for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic osteomyelitis and osteosarcoma? Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Qi Sun

Date Role Research Topic Location Program Supervision Type Student Load Student Name
2021 - 2021 Principal Supervisor Compromised Osteocyte Metabolic and Functional State: A Key Contributor to the Pathogenesis of Human Hip Osteoarthritis The University of Adelaide - Honours Full Time Micaela Jocelyn Quinn
2021 - 2023 - Human bone cells: detection and STR profiling Le, Thien Ngoc author Flinders University - - - Thien Ngoc Le
2019 - ongoing Co-Supervisor TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR (TGF)-β AS A CRITICAL FACTOR IN HUMAN OSTEOARTHRITIS The University of Adelaide, CORT Medicine Honours Full Time Halimatul Masrini Binti Haji Masri
2019 - ongoing Co-Supervisor Bone Marrow Lesions and Subchondral Cysts in Association with Severity of Structural Degeneration in Hip Osteoarthritis The University of Adelaide, CORT - Honours Part Time Bright Nkrumah
2019 - 2023 - Tissue-specific N-glycan alterations in human knee osteoarthritis discovered by MALDI Mass Spectrometry Imaging University of South Australia - - - Lee, Yea Rin Olivia

Date Role Membership Country
2020 - ongoing Member International Society of Bone Morphometry (ISBM) Belgium
2020 - ongoing Member European Calcified Tissue Society (ECTS) Belgium
2018 - ongoing Member Orthopaedic Research Society Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
2018 - ongoing Member International Federation of Musculoskeletal Research Societies (IFMRS) Belgium
2015 - ongoing - ANZBMS Australia
2015 - ongoing - ASMR Australia
2014 - ongoing Member Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) United States
2013 - ongoing Member Australian & New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society (ANZORS) Australia

Date Title URL Description
2025 - 2028 FHMS Research Fellowship: Progression of Osteoarthritis in Cancer Survivors: The Impact of Cancer and Its Treatments - Progression of Osteoarthritis in Cancer Survivors: The Impact of Cancer and Its Treatments

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