About
Professor Stuart Hooper is a faculty member in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Monash University, affiliated with Monash Health. He holds a Professorship within the Ritchie Centre’s Fetal and Neonatal Health group, leading research into fetal and neonatal lung development using synchrotron technology. His work focuses on mitigating complications of preterm birth and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Hooper has published over 250 peer-reviewed articles and secured major grants including an $8.5M NHMRC Program Grant and a $1.7M NIH RO1 grant.
Education: BSc (Honours) and PhD in Reproductive Endocrinology from Monash University, followed by postdoctoral training in fetal development at Monash and the University of Western Ontario.
Research Interests: Fetal physiology, neonatal respiratory support, cord clamping timing, and synchrotron-based medical imaging. Current projects include improving respiratory outcomes for preterm infants and reducing respiratory distress post-caesarean delivery. Collaborations span international institutions.
Awards: 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours (AM) for services to neonatal health. He is a past president of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand.
Grants & Projects: Lead investigator on 48 active and completed projects, including major initiatives like 'Research Assisting Infants Transition at Birth' (2024–2028) and 'Phase-Contrast Neuroimaging for Brain Injury Detection'.
Labs/Teams: Director of the Fetal and Neonatal Laboratory, collaborating with teams on resuscitation techniques, cord clamping protocols, and advanced imaging technologies.
