Irene Stratton

Irene Stratton M.Sc. is a Senior Enterprise Fellow (Research Adviser) at the University of Southampton's Faculty of Medicine, Department of Population Health Sciences. With over 40 years of combined experience in medical research, she specializes in diabetic retinopathy, clinical trials methodology, and ophthalmology research. Her work bridges statistical analysis with clinical applications, particularly in diabetes-related eye diseases and population health studies.

Dr. Stratton's research focuses on diabetic retinopathy, clinical trial design, ophthalmology, prediction modeling, and screening programs. Her work spans three major areas: diabetes complications (particularly eye-related), statistical methodology for clinical research, and population health applications. She has made significant contributions to understanding the progression of diabetic eye disease, developing risk prediction models, and evaluating screening protocols for at-risk populations including pregnant women with diabetes.

Her recent publications (2022-2024) demonstrate a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research combining ophthalmology with artificial intelligence, genetics, and population health. Her work appears in high-impact journals including Nature, Bioinformatics, and Eye. Key themes include AI-driven analysis of retinal imaging, genetic factors in eye disease, risk prediction modeling, and evaluation of clinical screening protocols across diverse populations.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Vision UK Award (2019)

As a medical statistician with 8 years in cancer research, 20 years in diabetes, and 13 years in ophthalmology, Dr. Stratton serves as a reviewer for prestigious journals including Diabetic Medicine, Lancet, BMJ, and Archives of Ophthalmology. She is a valued member of numerous trial steering committees and data monitoring committees, contributing her statistical expertise to ensure research integrity and validity. Her extensive grant-funded work includes the ISDR research program on individualized diabetic retinopathy screening and contributions to the UK Biobank retinal imaging project.

Dr. Stratton's research team collaborates extensively across the UK and internationally, working with major institutions through the UK Biobank and participating in multi-center clinical trials. Her work in the Population Health Sciences department connects statistical methodology with practical clinical applications, particularly in the development and evaluation of screening programs for diabetic eye disease.