Rate My Professor Jonathan Cooper

Jonathan Cooper, PhD, served as Professor and Director Emeritus in the Basic Sciences Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, where he contributed to the field of Biology for four decades. Born and raised in England, he earned a BA in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge in 1973 and a PhD in biological sciences from the University of Warwick in 1976. He began his postdoctoral training as a visiting fellow at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, before joining the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, as a research associate in 1980. In 1985, he moved to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, advancing through roles including Associate Division Director and Co-director of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Program shared with the University of Washington. From 2009 to 2018, he directed the Basic Sciences Division, fostering an egalitarian culture that emphasized independent labs, hands-on involvement by principal investigators, and collaborative scientific exchange through regular lectures and discussions. He retired on March 26, 2025, after 40 years of service.

A distinguished cell biologist, Dr. Cooper investigated the networks of proteins that enable cells to communicate, with a focus on those critical to the transformation of healthy cells into cancer cells. His research elucidated how proteins undergo chemical modifications regulating cell division, specialization, and migration in both normal and cancerous contexts. Key discoveries include components of relay systems transmitting signals from the cell surface through the membrane to control replication and division, studies on the Src family of tyrosine kinases and related proteins governing proliferation, migration, and transformation, and a mechanistic link between mutated RAS and RAF genes that has advanced understanding of runaway cell division and informed anticancer drug development targeting these pathways. Later efforts explored signaling regulating cell movement in early fetal brain development, where disruptions affect migration precision. Throughout his career, Dr. Cooper was renowned for his broad knowledge of basic biology, posing incisive questions at faculty lectures, and supporting colleagues in sustaining the division's vibrant scientific environment. His work provided essential insights into corrupted signaling pathways in cancer and developmental disorders.