Our Work

We study the complex interactions of α-synuclein aggregation in the disease process of synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple system atrophy and dementia with Lewy bodies. Our goal is to elucidate the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these neurodegenerative disorders, reduce disease progression and promote healthy aging.

Mission Statement

Untangling α-synuclein strains

To pioneer and communicate innovative research that makes a difference to people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and Multiple System Atrophy.

What's Going On...

Multiple System Atrophy: Our Groundbreaking NZ-led study prompts rethink about devastating disorder

Rethinking PINK1 and Parkinson’s Disease: A Call for Greater Awareness

Loneliness: A Silent Threat to our Health

Latest Publications

Spellman A, Dieriks, B.V. (2024) Worlds Apart, Te Ao Māori and Western Worldviews in Aotearoa, New Zealand.(In press) Journal of Bioethical Inquiry.
Wiseman, J. A., Turner C.P., Faull, R. L. M., Halliday G., Dieriks, B.V. (2024) Refining α-Synuclein Seed Amplification Assays to Distinguish Parkinson’s Disease from Multiple System Atrophy. Transl. Neurodegener. 14, 7
Wiseman, J. A., Halliday G., Dieriks, B.V. Alpha-synuclein-mediated neuronal cytotoxicity drives neurodegeneration in Multiple System Atrophy. Brain awaf030
Yin, P. E. & Dieriks, B. V. (2025) Rethinking ‘Rare’ PINK1 Parkinson’s Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Geographical Prevalence, Phenotypic Diversity, and α-Synuclein Pathology. J. Park. Dis. 15(1)
Wiseman, J. A., Fu Y., Faull, R. L. M., Turner C.P., Curtis M.A., Halliday G., Dieriks, B.V. (2024) N-terminus α-synuclein detection reveals new and more diverse aggregate morphologies in multiple system atrophy and Parkinson’s disease. Transl Neurodegener. 13:67.
Wiseman J.A., Reddy K., Dieriks B.V. (2024) From onset to advancement: the temporal spectrum of α-synuclein in synucleinopathies. Ageing Res. Rev. 104, 102640.
Carmichael-Lowe A., Fleming B., Kreesan R., Wiseman J, Yin E.P., Turner C.P., Faull, RLM, Curtis MA., Dragunow M, Dieriks BV (2024) Enhanced detection of distinct honeycomb-structured neuronal SMARCC2 cytobodies in Parkinson’s Disease via Cyclic Heat-Induced Epitope Retrieval (CHIER). Plos One.
Wiseman, J. A., Halliday G., Dieriks, B.V. (2024) A new seed amplification assay to diagnose multiple system atrophy. Lancet Neurol. 23, 1175–1176 (IF 46.5)
Thumbadoo KM, Dieriks BV, and Swanson MEV,…, Scotter EL (2023). Hippocampal protein aggregation signatures fully distinguish pathogenic and wildtype UBQLN2 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain. 2024; 147:3547–61.
Wiseman J, Murray HC, Faull, RLM, Dragunow M, Turner C, Dieriks BV, Curtis MA (2024) Aggregate-prone brain regions in Parkinson’s disease are rich in unique N-terminus α-synuclein conformers with high proteolysis susceptibility. Npj Park. Dis. 10, 1–18 (IF 8.7)
Chand D.A., Scadeng, M., Dieriks, B. V. (2023) Absolute quantification of neuromelanin in formalin-fixed human brains using absorbance spectrophotometry. PLOS ONE 18 (7) 18:e0288327.
Stevenson T. J. & Dieriks, B. V. (2023) Wrapping up the role of pericytes in Parkinson’s disease. Neural Regen Res 18(11): 2395-2396.
Kreesan R. & Dieriks, B. V. (2022) Multiple system atrophy: α-Synuclein strains at the neuron-oligodendrocyte crossroad. Mol Neurodegeneration 17 (77), 1-18.
Dieriks, B. V., Highet B., Alik A., Bellande T., ..., Faull, R. L. Melki R., Curtis, M. A., Dragunow M. (2022)Human pericytes can degrade diverse alpha-synuclein aggregates. Plos One Vol.17(11), p.e0277658.
Stevenson T. J., Johnson R. H., …, Melki R., Dieriks, B. V., Curtis, M. A, Dragunow M. (2022) Pericytes take up and degrade α-synuclein but succumb to apoptosis under cellular stress. Sci Rep. 2022;12(17314).
Murray, H., Johnson K., Sedlock A., Highet, B., Dieriks, B.V., Vikas Anekal, P., Faull, R. L. M., Curtis, M. A., Koretsky A., Maric D (2022). Lamina-specific immunohistochemical signatures in the olfactory bulb of healthy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease patients. Commun Biol. 5 (88), 1–12.