Dr. Nigel Hooper

Biography

Nigel Hooper received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Leeds in 1987. He was awarded the Mr and Mrs John Jaffé Donation Research Fellowship from the Royal Society, focusing on proteolysis and membrane anchorage of mammalian cell surface peptidases. He began his academic career as a lecturer in the Department of Biochemistry at Leeds, eventually rising to Professor of Biochemistry in 2001. Hooper served as Director of the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology and held several leadership roles in the Faculty of Biological Sciences at the University of Leeds. In 2014, he was appointed Chair of Cell Biology at the University of Manchester, where he currently serves as Associate Vice-President for Research. His research interests lie in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease, with a focus on exploring molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to neurodegeneration. He employs various experimental approaches to understand normal biological processes and their failure in disease states. His work has significantly advanced the understanding of proteolytic mechanisms and protein-membrane interactions. Hooper's contributions include identifying and characterizing proteins involved in angiotensin metabolism and their implications in cardiovascular and renal pathophysiology. He has received extensive funding for his research from notable organizations such as the Medical Research Council and Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Research Interests