Hooker formerly managed applied plant and fungal molecular biology research projects, including development of plant-based biosensors and transgenic production systems for human pharmaceutical proteins and industrial enzymes at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where systems biology researchers are focused on understanding gene and protein networks involved in individual cell signaling, communication between cells in communities, and cellular metabolic pathways. Hooker has also been involved in research on microbial kinetics and transport mathematical modeling, design, development, and support for biological destruction of chlorinated organic hydrocarbons, development of tP4 transgenic plant protein production platform technology, and development of the RT3D bioremediation/natural attenuation software package. He left PNNL in 2009, and was hired as an associate professor at Simpson University where he specializes in biology and chemistry. Simpson University is a private Christian University of liberal arts and professional studies offering undergraduate, graduate and teaching credential programs. Hooker is known for his anti-vaccine activism and his claims of conflicts of interest within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He is a board member at Focus Autism, an organization which believes in the "ongoing cover-up of the vaccine/autism link". Hooker and Andrew Wakefield have alleged scientific fraud, conspiracy, and coverup on the part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with regard to the supposed link between vaccines and autism. An online video describing this situation was debunked by Snopes.
Recognition and controversy
In 2014, Hooker's paper titled "Measles-mumps-rubella vaccination timing and autism among young African American boys: a reanalysis of CDC data" was retracted from the journal Translational Neurodegeneration. According to Hooker, the journal falsely accused him of a conflict of interest: Hooker has been involved in vaccine/biologic litigation and the journal provided no scientific rationale for the retraction.
Personal life
Hooker has publicly stated that his son was permanently damaged by vaccines.
Selected publications
Dai Z, BS Hooker, RD Quesenberry, and J Gao. “Expression of Trichoderma reesei exo-cellobiohydrolase I in transgenic tobacco leaves and calli”, Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 1999, 77-79:689-699
Dai Z, BS Hooker, DB Anderson, and SR Thomas.“Improved plant-based production of E1 endoglucanase using potato:expression optimization and tissue targeting”, Molecular Breeding, 2000, 6:277-285.
Gao J, BS Hooker, and DB Anderson. 2004. “Expression of Functional Human Coagulation Factor XIII A-domain in Plant Cell Suspensions and Whole Plants.” Protein Expression and Purification 37:89-96.
Hooker, Brian S., Hettich, Robert L., Hurst, Gregory B., Kennel, Stephen J., Lankford, Patricia K., Chiann-Tso Lin, Lye Meng Markillie, Mayer-Clumbridge, M. Uljana, Pelletier, Dale A., Liang, Shi, Squier, Thomas C., Strader, Michael B., VerBerkmoes, Nathan C., "Isolation and Characterization of Protein Complexes from Shewanella oneidensis and Rhodopseudomonas palustris", Genomics: GTL Contractor—Grantee Workshop II, Washington, DC, February 29-March 2, 2004
Trelka, Jeffrey A., Hooker, Brian S. "", 2004
Markillie LM, CT Lin, JN Adkins, DL Auberry, EA Hill, BS Hooker, PA Moore, RJ Moore, L Shi, HS Wiley, and V Kery, “A simple protein complex purification and identification method for high throughput mapping of protein interaction networks”, Journal of Proteome Research, 2005
Liang Shi, Jiann-Trzwo Lin, Lye M. Markillie, Thomas C. Squier, and Brian S. Hooker, “” - Expression of recombinant decaheme cytochrome MtrA in Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 by a directional TOPO cloning-based system. BioTechniques, 2005, 38:297-9.
