Jacob Hooker

Jacob M. Hooker, Ph.D. is an American chemist and expert in molecular imaging, particularly in the development and application of simultaneous MRI and PET. He has contributed major advances on the entire spectrum of research from fundamental chemistry methodology with radioisotopes to human neuroimaging.

Jacob grew up just outside of Asheville, North Carolina and attended Enka High School. He graduated from North Carolina State University in 2002 as class Valedictorian and summa cum laude with bachelor of science degrees in Textile Chemistry and Chemistry. He then earned his doctorate of philosophy in Chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley, mentored by Professor Matt Francis. After hearing a neuroimaging presentation in 2006 by National Medal of Science recipient Dr. Joanna Fowler, Dr. Hooker immersed himself in postdoctoral training under her mentorship at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Fowler recalls having Jacob as a postdoc “getting him was like winning the lottery” “He’s going to ask questions we haven’t thought of before." Dr. Hooker conducted his postdoctoral training with Dr. Fowler as a Goldhaber Distinguished Fellow, developing new neuroscience-oriented imaging methods and protocols.

Dr. Hooker relocated to Charlestown, MA in 2009 at the initiation of his independent research career at the Martinos Center. He co-designed and scratch-built a cyclotron and radiopharmacy facility housing a Siemens Eclipse HP Cyclotron, completed early 2011. The production and imaging facility – part of the Martinos Center Research Core – provides imaging tools for all stages of translational research.

The mission of his academic research lab is “to accelerate the study of the living, human brain and nervous system through development and application of molecular imaging agents.” An organic chemist by training, Dr. Hooker and his research group are devoted to enhance understanding of the healthy brain and dysfunction in diseases including Alzheimer’s, Autism and Schizophrenia.

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