David N. Cooper is Professor of Human Molecular Genetics at Cardiff University in the UK. His research interests are largely focused upon elucidating the mechanisms of mutagenesis underlying human genetic disease, but include genotype–phenotype relationships in various inherited conditions, as well as human evolutionary and population genetics.

He has published over 350 papers in the field of human molecular genetics and curates the Human Gene Mutation Database, a comprehensive database of mutations causing human inherited disease. Professor Cooper is European Editor of Human Genetics and Editor of the Genetics & Disease section of Wiley’s Encyclopedia of Life Sciences.