Professor Derek O’Keeffe MD PhD MBA FRCPI is a physician–engineer (“Physicianeer”) who unites clinical medicine, engineering, and entrepreneurship to deliver translational digital-health solutions. He holds dual first-class degrees and dual doctorates (Medicine and Engineering), was a Fulbright Scholar (Harvard), Green Templeton Scholar (Oxford), and completed an Endocrinology Fellowship (Mayo Clinic).
At the University of Galway, he is the Established Professor of Medical Device Technology and leads the HIVE Lab (Health Innovation via Engineering), he is also a Consultant Endocrinologist at University Hospital Galway. Under his leadership the lab has attracted >€10M in funding (Enterprise Ireland, Research Ireland/SFI, HRB, industry) and produced >100 peer-reviewed papers in journals including NEJM, BMJ, and IEEE. He has filed several patents, received the Mayo Clinic Early Career Award for Digital Health Innovation (2025), and currently chairs the Fulbright Commission Ireland Board. He has supervised >20 masters & doctoral students across medicine and engineering and served as HSE National Clinical Lead for Diabetes Chronic Disease Management (2023–2025). His research focuses on AI, wearable sensors, and patient-centred technologies — experience directly relevant to MOCARA’s goals
