Uni of Liverpool scientists given £1m for ambitious diabetes project
They think it could save the NHS billions of pounds
Scientists from the University of Liverpool have been given £1million to make an early test for a complication caused by diabetes.
Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is thought to be responsible for 50%-75% of limb amputations in people with diabetes.
This new test could find patients with DPN and predict those who develop the disease.
That will stop further damage well in advance of serious complications like foot ulcers and amputations.
Diabetes affects nearly five million people in the UK and costs the NHS more than £10billion every year.
80% of that cost is down to complications, of which DPN is the most common.
Investigators from the University of Liverpool are working with Manchester Metropolitan University, with £1.4million awarded for the project altogether.
Dr. Uazman Alam from the University of Liverpool said:
“Unfortunately, current clinically utilised tools to diagnose for DPN are crude and as such diagnosis is late, putting patients at risk.
"The ability to assess small nerve fibres of the cornea has been a major advancement but widespread use has been limited as the current technique requires direct contact with the cornea.
"The development of a new OCT non-contact, rapid scanning of the cornea with embedded AI would be a major advancement allowing for more widespread use."
The study is expected to be completed in 2027 and result in a pilot study in healthy volunteers and people with diabetes at Aintree University Hospital.
Professor Yalin Zheng from the University of Liverpool said:
"This is an ambitious project where we hope to create an innovative DPN screening solution that can ultimately be fully clinically utilised.
"I hope that early detection and timely treatment of DPN by our innovations will prevent disability and save lives with substantial benefit to the UK’s society and economy."