Mr Mark Hopkinson
Departmental Technician
Department: Comparative Biomedical Sciences
Campus: Camden
Research Groups: Musculoskeletal Biology
Research Centres: MicroCT, Imaging Suite
I am a Departmental Technician in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences department. I provide research support for the Skeletal Biology Group as well as carrying out health and safety and laboratory management duties. In addition I manage the micro-CT scanner, primarily scanning and analysing skeletal tissues.
I graduated fro the University of Kent in 2008 with a BSc (HONS) in Biomedical Science. My first scientific role was in Pfizer Animal Health (now Zoetis) where I worked in the Biologicals Development group and designed in vitro potency assays for vaccines and transferred them to the manufacturing site. After Pfizer I joined the Royal Veterinary College as a Departmental Technician where I provided research support and labarotory management for Professor Andrew Pitsillides and Professor Chantal Chenu of the Skeletal Biology Group and manage the College's micro-CT scanner.
I continue to fulfil these duties as well as supporting students in practical classes and student projects. In addition I am completing a part-time PhD researching bone and cartilage in muscular dystrophy and to date I am an author on 16 publications. I am the departmental Radiation protection Supervisor and a member of the college’s Radiation and Chemicals committee and the part-time PhD student representative in the Research Degrees Committee.
The research for my PhD focuses on a protein called dystroglycan involved in a form of Muscular Dystrophy and its role in skeletal tissues, particularly in bone and cartilage.
Javaheri B, Razi H, Piles M, de Souza R, Chang YM, Maric-Mur I, Hopkinson M, Lee PD, Pitsillides AA: Sexually dimorphic tibia shape is linked to natural osteoarthritis in STR/Ort mice. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2018 Jun;26(6):807-817. doi: 10.1016/j.joca.2018.03.008. Epub 2018 Mar 28.
Javaheri B, Poulet B, Aljazzar A, de Souza R, Piles M, Hopkinson M, Shervill E, Pollard A, Chan B, Chang YM, Orriss IR, Lee PD, Pitsillides AA: Stable sulforaphane protects against gait anomalies and modifies bone microarchitecture in the spontaneous STR/Ort model of osteoarthritis. Bone. 2017 Oct;103:308-317. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2017.07.028. Epub 2017 Aug 1.
Staines KA, Javaheri B, Hohenstein P, Fleming R, Ikpegbu E, Unger E, Hopkinson M, Buttle DJ, Pitsillides AA, Farquharson C: Hypomorphic conditional deletion of E11/Podoplanin reveals a role in osteocyte dendrite elongation.J Cell Physiol. 2017 Nov;232(11):3006-3019. doi: 10.1002/jcp.25999. Epub 2017 Jun 14.
Ahmed Al-Jazzar, Behzad Javaheri, Matt Prideaux, Alan Boyde, Cheryl L. Scudamore, Chahrazad Cherifi, Eric Hay, Mark Hopkinson, Michael Boyd, Martine Cohen-Solal, Colin Farquharson, Andrew A. Pitsillides: Dmp1 Promoter-Driven Diphtheria Toxin Receptor Transgene Expression Directs Unforeseen Effects in Multiple Tissues. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 01/2017; 18(1-1)., DOI:10.3390/ijms18010029
Daniel C. Berwick, Behzad Javaheri, Andrea Wetzel, Mark Hopkinson, Jonathon Nixon-Abell, Simone Grannò, Andrew A. Pitsillides, Kirsten Harvey: Pathogenic LRRK2 variants are gain-of-function mutations that enhance LRRK2-mediated repression of β-catenin signaling. Molecular Neurodegeneration 12/2016; 12(1-1)., DOI:10.1186/s13024-017-0153-4
H S Booler, V Pagalday-Vergara, J L Williams, M Hopkinson, S C Brown: Evidence of early defects in Cajal Retzius cell localisation during brain development in a mouse model of dystroglycanopathy. Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 12/2016;, DOI:10.1111/nan.12376
Behzad Javaheri, Mark Hopkinson, Blandine Poulet, Andrea S. Pollard, Sandra J. Shefelbine, Yu-Mei Chang, Philippa Francis-West, George Bou-Gharios, Andrew A. Pitsillides: Deficiency and Also Transgenic Overexpression of Timp-3 Both Lead to Compromised Bone Mass and Architecture In Vivo. PLoS ONE 08/2016; 11(8-8)., DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0159657
J C W Hildyard, E Lacey, H Booler, M Hopkinson, D J Wells, S C Brown: Transgenic rescue of the LARGEmyd mouse: A LARGE therapeutic window?. PLoS ONE 07/2016; 11(7)., DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0159853
Jihee Kim, Mark Hopkinson, Manoli Kavishwar, Marta Fernandez-Fuente, Susan Carol Brown: Prenatal muscle development in a mouse model for the secondary dystroglycanopathies. Skeletal Muscle 12/2015; 6(1)., DOI:10.1186/s13395-016-0073-y
K.A. Staines, K Madi, S.M. Mirczuk, S Parker, A Burleigh, B Poulet, M Hopkinson, A.J. Bodey, R.C. Fowkes, C Farquharson, P.D. Lee, A.A. Pitsillides: Endochondral Growth Defect and Deployment of Transient Chondrocyte Behaviors Underlie Osteoarthritis Onset in a Natural Murine Model. Arthritis and Rheumatology 11/2015; 68(4)., DOI:10.1002/art.39508
Helen S Booler, Josie L Williams, Mark Hopkinson, Susan C Brown: Degree of Cajal–Retzius Cell Mislocalization Correlates with the Severity of Structural Brain Defects in Mouse Models of Dystroglycanopathy. Brain Pathology 08/2015; 26(4)., DOI:10.1111/bpa.12306
M Pereira, J Jeyabalan, C.S. Jørgensen, M Hopkinson, A Al-Jazzar, J.P. Roux, P Chavassieux, I.R. Orriss, M.E. Cleasby, C Chenu: Chronic administration of Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists improves trabecular bone mass and architecture in ovariectomised mice. Bone 08/2015; 81., DOI:10.1016/j.bone.2015.08.006
Sv Lim, M Marenzana, M Hopkinson, Eo List, Jj Kopchick, M Pereira, B Javaheri, Jp Roux, P Chavassieux, M Korbonits, C Chenu: Excessive Growth Hormone Expression in Male GH Transgenic Mice Adversely Alters Bone Architecture and Mechanical Strength. Endocrinology 02/2015; 156(4)., DOI:10.1210/en.2014-1572
K.A. Staines, S. Parker, B. Poulet, S. Mirczuk, R.C. Fowkes, M. Hopkinson, K. Madi, P.D. Lee, A.A. Pitsillides: STR/ORT mice exhibit an inherent endochondral growth defect and redeploy transient chondrocyte behaviours prior to osteoarthritis onset. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 04/2014; 22., DOI:10.1016/j.joca.2014.02.659
K.A. Staines, L. Wood, M. Mainenti, M. Hopkinson, S. Mirczuk, R.C. Fowkes, M. Campanella, A.A. Pitsillides: Mitophagy dysfunction localises to regions of natural osteoarthritis in str/ort mice. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 04/2014; 22., DOI:10.1016/j.joca.2014.02.632