Alan Cooper, PhD, BSc

Dr. Alan Cooper is a research manager in the Autism Research Centre at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto. Throughout his career, he has led large, multi-site pediatric brain research networks across Canada.

Cooper currently manages the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Disorders Network, known as the POND Network. The project combines brain imaging, behavioral assessments, and genetic data to better understand the underlying biology of conditions like autism and ADHD. He previously managed the CHILD-BRIGHT Network, a national research initiative focused on improving care and outcomes for children with brain-based developmental disabilities and their families.

He earned a doctorate in basic neuroscience, focusing his research on how young brains develop the neural circuits responsible for hearing. During his graduate studies, he created new mapping techniques to trace individual brain cells and their connections in 3D, helping scientists better understand how brain wiring matures during early development.