November 6, 2026

NORI hub at Sunderland University receives £12.2M for AI eye test project

The Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) hub at Sunderland University has secured £12.2 million in government funding to develop AI technology aimed at improving the detection of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases through routine eye scans. This initiative is part of a larger effort by UK Research and Innovation to establish five healthcare hubs across the UK that leverage technology for early diagnosis, with NORI representing the North East. The AI will analyze changes in tiny blood vessels and nerve tissue at the back of the eye, which can serve as early indicators of broader health issues, potentially expanding to conditions like dementia and strokes in the future.

Matthew Campbell: Matthew Campbell is interim pro vice-chancellor for health at Sunderland University and co-director of the NORI hub. He leads efforts to advance AI-based analysis of eye scans for quicker diagnosis of conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. His role focuses on scaling the technology from research settings into real-world healthcare systems and broader markets.
Sunderland University: Sunderland University is a public research university in England with strengths in health sciences and applied innovation. It hosts the Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation (NORI) hub, which is developing AI tools to analyze routine eye scans for early signs of systemic diseases. The hub’s work positions the university as a central node in creating a regional health innovation ecosystem that extends to national and international deployment.
UK Research and Innovation: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the primary public body funding scientific research and innovation across the United Kingdom, with a dedicated focus on healthcare technology development. It supports the NORI hub and four other new hubs to create high-tech diagnostic tools for earlier illness detection. This backing forms part of coordinated national initiatives to integrate AI into routine clinical practice.

AI Integration: The project combines AI analysis of eye scans with NHS health records and community data to detect subtle disease signals more rapidly than traditional methods.
Healthcare Hubs: UKRI is establishing five new regional healthcare hubs focused on technology-enabled diagnosis, with NORI as the North East representative alongside sites in Exeter, Southampton and London.
Eye Scan Analysis: Subtle changes in tiny blood vessels and nerve tissue visible at the back of the eye can provide early indicators of wider health issues before symptoms emerge.

AI tools built by Emerald Force

Built and supported by Emerald Force.

You might also like