UKRI backs St Andrews and NHS Fife collaboration to improve early skin cancer diagnosis
The University of St Andrews School of Medicine is proud to announce that its researchers, together with colleagues at NHS Fife and St Andrews Innovation, have been awarded a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Proof of Concept grant to accelerate development of the Arclight Dermatoscope – an innovative device designed to transform the early detection of skin cancer.
Led by the Arclight Project team — Dr Helena Feasey, William J. Williams, and Dr Andrew Blaikie — together with Dr Allan Matthews, dermatologist at NHS Fife, and Professor Peter Donnelly and Dr Cicely Macnamara at the School of Medicine, this collaborative effort builds on the success of the internationally recognised Arclight ophthalmoscope and otoscope. These low-cost, portable diagnostic tools are already used in over 50 countries to improve access to high-quality eye and ear care.
The new Arclight Dermatoscope aims to bring the same frugal, high-impact design principles to dermatology. By enabling primary care clinicians to assess suspicious skin lesions with greater accuracy, the device has the potential to support earlier detection of skin cancer, reduce unnecessary referrals, and ease pressure on overstretched NHS services.
For the School of Medicine, this award represents a significant milestone in advancing its mission to deliver research that translates into real-world healthcare improvements. It also demonstrates the strength of collaboration between St Andrews researchers, NHS partners, and the University’s innovation ecosystem.
Alongside UK-based development and clinical evaluation with NHS Fife, the project team also aims to test the Arclight Dermatoscope internationally, with the potential to benefit dermatology services in both high- and low-resource settings.
Dr Feasey said:
“This award will allow us to take the Arclight Dermatoscope from prototype towards real-world use, ensuring that patients and clinicians alike can benefit from more accessible, practical tools for skin cancer detection. Our partnership with NHS Fife is central to this work, providing the clinical expertise and evaluation needed to bring the device into routine care.”