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Professor Tim Anderson holds the Cas Van Der Veer Chair in Parkinson's and Movement Disorders in the Department of Medicine at the University of Otago, Christchurch. He earned his BSc (Hons), MBChB, and MD from the University of Otago and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP). Serving as Clinical Director of the New Zealand Brain Research Institute for over 15 years, he leads clinical pharmaceutical trials in Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders, enabling patient access to innovative treatments with ongoing clinical oversight. Professor Anderson runs specialist clinics in movement disorders and botulinum toxin therapy at Christchurch Hospital, teaches fifth-year University of Otago medical students, and hosts them in his outpatient clinics. His work has earned him an international reputation as a neurologist-scientist in movement disorders.
His research interests encompass biomarkers of cognitive decline to mild cognitive impairment and dementia using advanced MRI markers, particularly in Parkinson's disease and other dementias; eye movements in Parkinson's and related disorders, in collaboration with Dr. Michael MacAskill; clinical biomarkers of progression in Huntington's disease; and speech and swallowing disorders in neurological conditions. With over 220 publications and more than 8,600 citations, key works include "Eye movements in patients with neurodegenerative disorders" (Nature Reviews Neurology, 2013), "Adaptive modification of saccade amplitude in Parkinson’s disease" (Brain, 2002), "Cortical control of saccades and fixation in man: a PET study" (Brain, 1994), "Decision cost hypersensitivity underlies Huntington’s disease apathy" (Brain, 2025), and "Association of LRRK2 p.A419V with Parkinson’s disease in East Asians and analysis of age at onset" (npj Parkinson's Disease, 2026). In 2026, he was elected a Ngā Ahurei Fellow of Royal Society Te Apārangi for clinical research in neurology and movement disorders. Professor Anderson co-leads an international longitudinal cohort study of Parkinson's patients to establish biomarkers of cognitive decline, advancing diagnosis and management.
Four University of Otago professors—Tim Anderson, Michael Baker, John Crump, and Peter Dearden—elected RSNZ Fellows, recognizing leadership in neurology, epidemiology, tropical diseases, and developmental biology.
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