A UCL scientist is leading a new project using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform routine eye checks into tools for detecting early signs of conditions such as heart disease and dementia.
The EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) has awarded Professor Pearse Keane (UCL Institute of Ophthalmology) £1.67 million for the research.
The project, called "Screening and diagnosis on the high street: unlocking the potential of AI-enabled oculomics in the community," expands on the burgeoning field of oculomics, which uses biomarkers in the eye to detect diseases affecting the rest of the body. The team will be honing the accuracy of an AI model as a diagnostic tool to help local health providers spot concerns earlier and more accurately.
The work carried out by Professor Keane in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Birmingham will also help ensure the tools used are safe and ready for real-world use. The long-term goal is for these tools to be available on the high street at eye clinics, providing a fast and safe service in the community.
Professor Keane said: "This funding allows us to take a major step forward in using AI to unlock the wealth of health information in the eye.
"Our goal is to build powerful, trustworthy tools that can spot early signs of disease, like heart problems or dementia-often before symptoms appear. By focusing on clinical safety, fairness, and community priorities from the outset, we're working to ensure these innovations don't just stay in the lab, but become real solutions that help people enjoy longer, healthier lives."
The new grant is one of six that the EPSRC has awarded to community-based diagnostic tool projects led by academic institutions across the UK.
The projects are in response to a clear need for more timely diagnosis, particularly for people who face barriers to accessing specialist care, providing earlier detection, closer to home, so they can start treatment sooner and have better long-term outcomes.
Each project has been co-designed with patients, carers and clinicians.
Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of EPSRC, said of the funding projects: "Diagnosing health conditions early and in a way that works for people's everyday lives is vital.
"These six projects will bring engineering and health expertise together with the experiences of patients and communities to develop practical, real-world tools that support the NHS Long Term Plan. By enabling care closer to home as well as earlier intervention, they will help shift the system from treatment to prevention, improve outcomes, tackle health inequalities, and ease pressure on hospitals."
