Deniz Kirik

Deniz Kirik, MD, PhD, serves as Honorary Professor at the University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, affiliated with the Brain and Mind Centre and School of Medical Sciences. He is Professor of Neuroscience at Lund University, Department of Experimental Medical Science, where he acts as Research Team Manager for the Brain Repair and Imaging in Neural Systems (BRAINS). With over 25 years of experience, his research specializes in cell and gene therapy for neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease. He has developed recombinant AAV vectors for therapeutic delivery and disease modeling in rodents and non-human primates, pioneered Parkinson’s disease animal models using AAV-mediated overexpression of alpha-synuclein in nigral dopamine neurons, and investigated the pathophysiological basis of L-DOPA-induced dyskinesias alongside advanced cell- and gene-based treatments. At the University of Sydney, he leads a $12.5 million research project funded by Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s, focusing on the genetic basis of Parkinson’s disease through patient-derived cells, gene mutations, deletions, and editing in mouse brains to build neuronal transplantation capabilities.

Kirik has co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed papers, garnering over 24,000 citations. Key publications include 'Neuronal replacement from endogenous precursors in the adult brain after stroke' (Nature Medicine, 2002), 'Parkinson-like neurodegeneration induced by targeted overexpression of α-synuclein in the nigrostriatal system' (Journal of Neuroscience, 2002), 'Characterization of behavioral and neurodegenerative changes following partial lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system induced by intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine in the rat' (Experimental Neurology, 1998), and 'Dopamine released from 5-HT terminals is the cause of l-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in parkinsonian rats' (Brain, 2007). His contributions have advanced preclinical models and therapies toward clinical testing. Notable awards include European Research Council grants in 2009 and 2012, recognition as one of 10 ERC achievements in 10 years in 2017, the Allan and Maria Myer Fellowship in 2010, and membership in the Science Academy of Istanbul since 2015. Recent work encompasses lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinsonian mutations, TDP-43 and mutant huntingtin effects in hypothalamic neurons, and iPSC-derived models from Parkinson’s patients.

Professional Email: deniz.kirik@med.lu.se