Cloud-based AI Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy

Stephen G. Odaibo, M.D., completed his fellowship in Medical Retina at Michigan Medicine in 2015, and credits his experience at the Kellogg Eye Center as a major influence in his career path and role as CEO and founder of RETINA-AI Health, Inc., an artificial intelligence company focused on retina-based detection of disease.

Dr. Odaibo recently led the company's Series A financing campaign that raised $5.2M during a six-week period. The capital will be used to move the company’s cloud-based AI detector of diabetic retinopathy through FDA approval. The innovative technology, which takes a retinal image and returns a PDF report within a few seconds, is intended for use in the primary care setting.

Dr. Odaibo says his fellowship in Medical Retina at the Kellogg Eye Center was instrumental in making him the type of retinal specialist he has become. Entering the match with advanced degrees in mathematics and computer science, he was looking for a fellowship where he could fully integrate his prior training and prepare for a multidisciplinary career. With Kellogg as his first fellowship choice, Dr. Odaibo says “There is a curiosity here about the full scope of eye disease— and this enabled me to hone my skill set toward innovation in the retina space.”

Dr. Odaibo spends 90% of his professional time as CEO of RETINA-AI Health, Inc., and 10% caring for patients. He is on the faculty at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Houston.

“Kellogg offered the influence and training that I was looking for—not just in terms of what was known, but also in terms of anticipating the future of healthcare delivery and preparing to help shape that future. The focus on academics and innovation at Kellogg played a critical role in my development.”