Jan van Hooff

Johan Antoon Reinier Alex Maria "Jan" van Hooff (born 15 May 1936) is a Dutch biologist. He was professor of comparative physiology at Utrecht University from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his research involving primates.

Van Hooff was born in Arnhem on 15 May 1936. During his childhood he spend large amounts of time at Royal Burgers' Zoo, which had been founded by his grandfather Johan Burgers (). The zoo was later taken over by his parents.

Van Hooff studied biology at Utrecht University. Afer reading the book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals of Charles Darwin he decided he wished to do research on the facial expressions of primates. Not having an opportunity to do so at Utrecht University he was helped by professor of comparative physiology Sven Dijkgraaf to study at the University of Oxford under Nikolaas Tinbergen and Desmond Morris. In 1971 he obtained his doctorate with a dissertation titled:"Aspecten van het sociale gedrag en de communicatie bij humane en hogere niet-humane primaten" under Nico Frijda and Dijkgraaf. During the 1960s the parents of Van Hooff needed more help with running the zoo, as Jan was studying in the United Kingdom his brother Antoon van Hooff () helped and later became director.

In 1966 Van Hooff was involved in research concerning socialization of a large group of chimpanzees held at a United States Air Force research institute. Due to Van Hooff's involvement a group of chimpanzees was added to Royal Burgers' Zoo in 1971. This latter group was intensily researched by Frans de Waal, van Hooff's first PhD student.

In 1973 Van Hooff was named lector of comparative physiology at Utrecht University. In 1980 he became professor. He retired in 2001.

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