Each year, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) facilities a programme of Academic Clinical Fellowships (ACF), a clinical specialty training post in medicine that incorporates academic training. Fellows spend 25% of their time in research training to develop academic skills, and 75% in specialist clinical training.

This year, ICEH are welcoming Arun Thirunavukarasu as a new ACF in ophthalmology, joining our existing fellow Elliott Taylor.

Dr Arun J. Thirunavukarasu is joining ICEH as a research fellow while working as a resident ophthalmologist in North London. He also serves at the ‘AI & Oculomics’ Section Editor at Eye News, Senior Collaborator at the Global Burden of Disease Study, Academic Editor at PLOS Digital Health, Honorary Research Fellow at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Neuroscience Supervisor at Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge.

Before commencing ophthalmology training, Dr Thirunavukarasu read medicine with Distinction and neuroscience with Double First-Class Honours at University of Cambridge, graduating as a Scholar of Corpus Christi College. He was then appointed Academic Foundation Doctor and Clinical Research Fellow at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and University of Oxford, respectively.

Dr Thirunavukarasu’s research interests span evidence-based eye care, with an emphasis on clinical trial design and methodology, digital health interventions including artificial intelligence applications, and the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. His work has been awarded prizes by the Royal Society of Medicine, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Real World Ophthalmology, and Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. This work has also been featured by the Financial Times, Sky News, BBC News, Der Spiegel, and others.

Next year’s fellowships are now live through the NHS website (may require registration to see listing): https://url.uk.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/tiUmCr914SyqX8AhGC8u4aQej?domain=oriel.nhs.uk