Dr Cooper is a neuroimmunologist interested in how the developing brain establishes immune protection and how childhood brain tumours exploit these same mechanisms to evade detection. She obtained her PhD working under Prof. Michael Dragunow at the University of Auckland, focusing on drug repurposing for glioblastoma. In 2023, she moved to Prof. Richard Gilbertsons Lab at CRUK to explore the emerging biology of CNS border tissues, including the meninges, lymphatic vessels, and skull bone marrow, which together form a dynamic interface between the brain and peripheral immunity. Dr Coopers research has shown that paediatric tumours profoundly reshape these compartments, altering lymphatic function and adaptive immune responses. By integrating mouse genetics, high-dimensional immunophenotyping, and human paediatric samples, her research aims to map the circuits that govern neuroimmune communication in early life. A central focus of Dr Coopers programme is understanding how developmental timing influences tumour vulnerability and therapeutic response, with the hope to use insights from neurodevelopment and immunity to guide the next generation of immunotherapies for children with brain tumours.