Tom Hopp was born in Seattle, Washington. He was educated at West Seattle High School and the University of Washington. With a perfect score on the Graduate Record Exam, he entered the Ph.D. program in biochemistry at Cornell University Medical College. There, he developed a widely-used scientific method for protein structure analysis called the Hopp and Woods hydrophilicity algorithm. He studied proteins and genetic engineering in Nobel Prize-winning labs at Rockefeller University, then moved on to help found the multi-billion-dollar Seattle biotechnology company, Immunex Corporation. He led a team of scientists that cloned the powerful immune-system hormone, Interleukin One, and advised the team that created Immunex's blockbuster arthritis drug, Enbrel. He created the first commercially successful nanotechnology device, a molecular handle called the FLAG epitope, which is used in labs worldwide to study the human genome and most major diseases. Tom has been invited to speak about his research and writing throughout the world on stage, radio, and television.

To download a one-page pdf copy of his bio, tap here: THBio.pdf

Tom is currently a biotechnology consultant and author living near Seattle, Washington. Download his full scientific curriculum vitae, or a promotional photo.

Tom is an active professional member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He served two years as President of the MWA Northwest Chapter.

Tom plays guitar and bass, and has performed onstage with blues legend John Lee Hooker and rock supergroups The Kingsmen and The Drifters. He has lived in Seattle, San Diego, and on Manhattan Island.