UK-South Korea Partnership Led by Liverpool Spin-Out to Transform Global Corneal Treatment with AI and Biomechanical Modelling

UK-South Korea Partnership Led by Liverpool Spin-Out to Transform Global Corneal Treatment with AI and Biomechanical Modelling

(IN BRIEF) A University of Liverpool spin-out company, Ocuwell Ltd, is leading an ambitious UK-South Korea collaboration to advance personalised treatment for common corneal conditions like myopia and astigmatism, which affect over 30% of the global population. Supported by £1.4 million in joint funding from UKRI and South Korea’s KHIDI, the project integrates cutting-edge biomechanical analysis, AI, and numerical modelling to develop software-based tools that customise treatment to each patient’s unique eye profile. The consortium includes the University of Plymouth and top South Korean partners, and aims to improve outcomes across procedures such as contact lens fitting, cross-linking, and cataract surgery. The initiative was recently presented at the MRC in London as a model of international collaboration in precision ocular healthcare.

(PRESS RELEASE) LIVERPOOL, 14-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A pioneering UK-South Korea partnership, spearheaded by University of Liverpool spin-out company Ocuwell Ltd, has secured £1.4 million in funding to transform how common eye conditions are diagnosed, managed, and treated—offering new hope to the 30% of the global population affected by these disorders.

Backed by UK Research and Innovation’s UK-South Korea Digital Health Collaborative R&D programme, this international initiative brings together leading academic institutions, clinicians, and industry innovators to push the boundaries of personalised eye care. The project focuses on corneal conditions such as myopia, astigmatism, and keratoconus, and aims to develop custom treatment strategies using advanced in vivo biomechanical characterisation, sophisticated numerical modelling, and artificial intelligence.

Historically, corneal treatments have relied on empirical formulas and subjective judgments. In contrast, this groundbreaking approach will integrate patient-specific biomechanical, topographic, and microstructural data into precision software tools. These tools will support clinicians in designing optimised, individualised treatments.

The project will enhance four key clinical areas: orthokeratology contact lens fitting, collagen cross-linking procedures, intracorneal ring segment surgeries, and the fine-tuning of limbal incisions during cataract surgery. Together, these advancements aim to reduce postoperative complications such as astigmatism, slow the progression of myopia, improve refractive accuracy, and restore healthier corneal architecture.

Ocuwell Ltd is leading the charge alongside UK partners from the University of Plymouth and South Korean collaborators at Yonsei University, the University of Ulsan, and EYEREUM Clinic. With over two decades of shared experience in biomechanics, modelling, and medical AI, the consortium has already conducted preliminary studies that lay a solid foundation for future clinical applications.

Professor Ahmed Elsheikh, Dr Daniela Oehring and Mrs Rania Maklad presented to representatives from UKRI, the MRC, the Korean Ambassador to the UK, and other officials.

Professor Ahmed Elsheikh, Ocuwell’s Chief Scientific Officer and Chair of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Liverpool, noted: “While research into corneal biomechanics has progressed significantly, its clinical application remains underdeveloped. Our project bridges that divide by creating truly personalised treatment options based on each individual’s ocular profile. The ultimate aim is to develop commercial tools that can globally reshape corneal care.”

Dr Daniela Oehring, Associate Professor in Optometry at the University of Plymouth, added: “Despite rapid advances in imaging technologies, clinical translation has lagged. Our collaboration addresses this challenge by establishing globally recognised outcome measures for personalised corneal interventions.”

The £1.4 million project is jointly funded by UKRI through the International Science Partnerships Fund and by South Korea’s Korean Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI).

The collaboration was recently highlighted at a dedicated event hosted at the Medical Research Council’s London offices, attended by representatives from UKRI, the MRC, and the Korean Ambassador to the UK. The gathering showcased the partnership’s strategic significance in advancing personalised precision medicine and highlighted the combined expertise of UK and South Korean institutions in redefining the future of ocular healthcare.

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Joanne Carr
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E: jocarr@liverpool.ac.uk

Catrin Owen
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Sarah Stamper
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Jennifer Morgan
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Alison Cornmell
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SOURCE: University of Liverpool