Tim Cooke, St Mungo professor of surgery at the University of Glasgow, was tragically killed at the age of 60 in a car accident when returning from a continental holiday with his wife and two of his six children. He was one of the UK’s leading academic surgeons, contributing extensively to research in surgical oncology with a special interest in breast disease. He was born in Birkenhead, on the Wirral. His father, Gordon George Cooke, was a sales consultant and his mother, Jeane Catherine Bremner née Mathieson, a ward clerk. He received his schooling at the Birkenhead Institute, before spending a year in Ghana working with Voluntary Services Overseas. He then proceeded to Liverpool University Medical School, qualifying in 1973. After house jobs, he entered surgical training at Royal Liverpool Hospital, including a two-year research appointment in the professorial surgical unit under the direction of Robert (later Sir Robert) Shields. His research centred on aspects of the biology of breast cancer and led to a successful MD thesis, a Hunterian professorship in 1980 and a lifelong interest in malignant breast disease. In 1980 Tim Cooke moved to Southampton as a lecturer in surgery, where he undertook research into colorectal cancer and in 1983 was appointed senior lecturer at the Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, where he remained for three years. In 1986 he moved back to the academic department of surgery in Liverpool with honorary consultant status at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. In 1989 he was appointed to the St Mungo chair of surgery at the University of Glasgow. Over the next 20 years he contributed enormously to the research literature on breast cancer. He published almost 200 peer-reviewed papers, supervised some 25 postgraduates to obtain higher degrees, was a member of several editorial boards, edited two books, contributed chapters to several more and examined for 13 universities in the UK and abroad. He gave many invited lectures and brought substantial funding to his department. In 1996 he was elected to the prestigious James IV Association of Surgeons, a body whose active membership comprises only 100 practising surgeons worldwide. In addition to his academic endeavours he played a major part in improving NHS breast services in the Glasgow region and was also heavily involved in the wider NHS reorganisation which became necessary in greater Glasgow. He was a keen and enthusiastic teacher and universally popular with students. Outside of work, Tim led a full and varied life. He was widely read and, having attended the same school as the First World War poet Wilfred Owen, was especially knowledgeable about war poetry. He was a keen sportsman, enjoying sailing, skiing and riding. He played tennis and squash, ran marathons and rode mountain bikes. He was a longstanding supporter of Liverpool Football Club, a saxophonist, a bon vivant and a superb storyteller. Married to Lynn (née Russell), a consultant ENT surgeon, he had six children – Emma, Sophie, Ben, James, Esme and Cameron. He died returning from a sailing holiday on 20 July 2008.