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Derek O’Keeffe, M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O., M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A. (ENDO ’15), was consulting with a patient who had lost her sight due to diabetes complications when the patient remarked that her assistive cane was cumbersome. 

Dr. O’Keeffe could have simply expressed sympathy and carried on. Instead, he set about developing what he calls a “Jedi glove” device using ultrasound sensors and haptic feedback. 

“If the wearer gets too close to something, the little finger of the glove starts to vibrate. The closer the wearer gets to an object, the more fingers of the glove vibrate. They can literally ‘feel the force’ of what’s around them,’” he says. 

It’s just one example of why Dr. O’Keeffe calls himself a physicianeer; he regularly combines his skills in clinical care and engineering to solve patient problems. He holds dual first-class honors degrees and doctorates in medicine and engineering. The caliber of his Ph.D. work led to a Fulbright Scholarship at Harvard University, and his medical training included time as a scholar at the University of Oxford and a visiting resident at Mayo Clinic. He then completed a fellowship in endocrinology at Mayo Clinic.

Today, Dr. O’Keeffe is an attending endocrinologist at University Hospital Galway and a professor of medical device technology at the University of Galway in Ireland. He is also the founder and director of the Health Innovation via Engineering (HIVE) lab at the university. 

The HIVE lab has raised over 10 million euros in funding, produced patent applications and publications in journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and The BMJ, and impacted national policy in digital health. Projects include using drones to fly lifesaving medicines to island communities and developing AI-driven avatars to assist in patient education. Through HIVE, Dr. O’Keeffe has also developed a virtual hospital concept that encompasses a clinical and technical framework to address admission avoidance in patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart failure and COPD. 

“Dr. O’Keeffe’s diverse research portfolio is characterized by innovation, collaboration and development of imaginative technological solutions for real-world problems,” says colleague Matthew Griffin, M.B., B.Ch., B.A.O. (I ’94, NEPH ’96), a professor of transplant biology and the head of the Discipline of Medicine at the University of Galway School of Medicine. 

Dr. O’Keeffe is a leader in not only clinical practice innovation, but health policy in Ireland. He has served as the Irish public healthcare system’s national clinical lead for diabetes and contributed to the development of clinical practice guidelines and models of care for people living with diabetes in Ireland. He also successfully advocated for Ireland’s health service to provide free access to continuous glucose monitors and led the creation of Ireland’s first national diabetes strategy.

In addition, Dr. O’Keeffe has also strongly contributed to education. He developed a Masters of Diabetes program to ensure a high-quality pipeline of specialized healthcare professionals and researchers for people living with diabetes, as well as a postgraduate diploma in digital health for healthcare professionals. 

Along the way, he has produced over 100 peer-reviewed publications and garnered awards. Dr. O’Keeffe’s awards include the St. Luke’s Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and Outstanding Young Person of the World from Junior Chamber International for his work — including a collaboration with NASA to successfully put a sleep experiment on the International Space Station.

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The Early and Mid-Career Alumni Awards recognize Mayo Clinic alumni who have made robust contributions to their areas of expertise in the realms of education, clinical practice, clinical and scientific research, and administration. Beyond their professional output, they demonstrate selfless community service and have consistently acted in a manner that is aligned with Mayo Clinic values. Read about the other 2024 recipient here.

Illustrations by Nigel Buchanan.