Pearse Keane elected to the US National Academy of Medicine
- INSIGHT communications team
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Professor Pearse Keane has been elected to the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM) in recognition of his pioneering role developing medical artificial intelligence (AI) in ophthalmology and forging the novel field of Oculomics - using biomarkers in the eye to detect systemic disease.
Pearse has also been acknowledged for initiating a seminal collaboration through Moorfields Eye Hospital with Google DeepMind, resulting in one of the world’s most advanced clinical algorithms for accurate diagnosis of eye conditions, and for fostering the first AI foundation model in ophthalmology.
NAM membership is awarded to 100 individuals annually for outstanding professional achievement. Pearse is among ten new members to join in 2025 from outside the US, and among a select number of vision scientists to have joined since 1970 when NAM was founded.
The 2025 cohort was elected by NAM’s current membership of more than 2,400, through a process that recognises exceptional researchers who have made significant contributions to advancing the medical sciences, health care, and public health. Members contribute to the work of the NAM and the National Academies through volunteer service on leadership and advisory bodies and working groups.
Pearse Keane said: “It is an honour to join the ranks of an institution so committed to ensuring that AI and other emerging technologies are developed and applied responsibly for the well-being of populations globally. I would like to thank the members for giving me the chance to play a small part in NAM’s ongoing efforts to address some of the critical issues in health and medicine through interdisciplinary collaboration.”
An authority in the development and clinical adoption of medical AI for the benefit of all, Pearse Keane is Professor of Medical Artificial Intelligence at University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology, where he leads an academic research program that brings together talented data scientists and clinical researchers from around the world. Pearse is also a consultant ophthalmologist at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and Director of the INSIGHT Health Data Research Hub, the world’s largest bioresource of ophthalmic data linked to medical records.
The newly elected members for 2025 were announced on 20th October at NAM’s annual meeting in Washington DC.
About the National Academy of Medicine
Founded in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) is one of three Academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) in the United States. Operating under the 1863 Congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that work outside of government to provide objective advice on matters of science, technology, and health.
To come here: link to NAM's own announcement
