Born in Nelson, England, Hardy received his B.S. degree in biochemistry
from Leeds University and his Ph.D. in neuropharmacology from Imperial
College, London. Moving to the Medical Research Council neuropathogenesis
unit in Newcastle, he 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). There, Hardy studied the genetics of Alzheimer's disease.
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, 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, Fla., where 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.
It was at Mayo that he began his investigation of the genetics
of Parkinson's disease and other Parkinsonian disorders.
In 2001, Hardy established his laboratory at NIA, where he conducts
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, Hardy has been
awarded 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.
There will be a reception following the lecture. 
