It is with great sadness that we share the news of the sudden passing of our friend, colleague and collaborator, Professor John Hopper AM, who led Twins Research Australia over the past 35 years.
John was a pioneering Australian genetic epidemiologist and twin researcher whose work transformed understanding of the genetic and environmental factors influencing human health globally.
Throughout his distinguished career, John authored over 1,200 scientific papers, significantly impacting fields such as cancer epidemiology, public health, and genetic research.
His leadership in twin studies is perhaps his most enduring contribution to the scientific community. In 1990, he was appointed Director of the Australian Twin Registry, now known as Twins Research Australia, based at the University of Melbourne. It has become one of the world’s largest twin registries, with over 35,000 twin pairs.
This invaluable resource facilitated groundbreaking studies into how genetics and the environment affect health outcomes. He also advocated for strengthening global networks, data sharing and fostering partnerships. His mission was to ensure twin studies remained at the forefront of scientific discovery.
Professor Hopper received numerous honours, including being named an inaugural Australia Fellow by the NHMRC in 2007 and receiving the Member of the Order of Australia in 2008 for his service to genetic epidemiology and public health.
John will be remembered as a generous friend, collaborator and insightful mentor – and he will be deeply missed. His legacy lives on through his contributions to twin research and the scientific community at large, continuing to inspire generations in the pursuit of knowledge and health improvement.
Comments, stories and memories are welcome at our online remembrance card for John. The University of Melbourne is planning a memorial event, and we will provide further details at this page when available.
With thanks,
Professor Jeff Craig and Dr Sue Malta
Deputy Directors
Twins Research Australia
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
The University of Melbourne
