John Hardy, Ph.D.

Dr. John Hardy, Chief of the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging, has devoted his career to studying the genetics and molecular pathogenesis of neurological disease. 

Born in Nelson, England, Dr. Hardy received his B.S. degree in Biochemistry from Leeds University, England, and his Ph.D. in Neuropharmacology from Imperial College in London where he studied glutamate and dopamine pharmacology.  Moving to the Medical Research Council Neuropathogenesis Unit in Newcastle, England, Dr. Hardy began his work on the neurochemistry of Alzheimer’s disease while developing a neurotransmitter pharmacology assessment in human tissue. 

His interests took him to the Swedish Brain Bank in Urmea before returning to London’s St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School (Imperial College).  At St. Mary’s, Dr. Hardy studied the genetics of Alzheimer’s disease where, in 1992, his group identified mutations in the amyloid precursor protein gene, the first known cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Accepting the Pfeiffer Endowed Chair in Alzheimer Research at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Dr. Hardy and his research team made animal models of Alzheimer’s disease and characterized the structure of the presenilin gene.  In 1996 the group moved to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, where Dr. Hardy was named Chair of Neuroscience.  While at the Mayo Clinic, he helped find mutations in the tau gene in Pick’s disease and contributed to the development of transgenic mice with both plaques and tangles.  While at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Hardy began his investigation of the genetics of Parkinson’s disease and other Parkinsonian disorders.

In 2001, Dr. Hardy established his laboratory at the National Institute on Aging where he continues to conduct research on both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.  Most notably, his research group has demonstrated that alpha-synuclein overexpression is one cause of Parkinson’s. 

For his contributions to Alzheimer’s research, Dr. Hardy has received the Peter Debje Prize, Allied Signal Prize, MetLife Prize, Potamkin Prize, and Kaul Prize.  He is the author of 374 articles, and in 2001 was named Honorary Professor of Neuroscience at University College London.