Tyler Hyung-taek Rim, Chief Medical Officer of Mediwhale, named ‘Top 2% Scientist in the World’ for two consecutive years

Mediwhale announced on October 8 that its Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Tyler Hyung-taek Rim, has been recognized for the second consecutive year in the ‘World’s Top 2% Scientists 2023’ list released by Stanford University in the United States and the global research publishing company Elsevier. This recognition underscores Mediwhale’s research capabilities on a global scale.

The world’s top 2% scientists are selected based on citation data from the ‘SCOPUS’ academic paper index, considering only those who have published a minimum of five papers across 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields. As of 2023, Rim’s research papers have received 945 citations, excluding self-citations, placing him among the highest-cited scientists worldwide. To date, he has authored 177 papers and continues to engage in active research.

At Mediwhale, Rim has spearheaded the development of ‘DrNoon CVD’, the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) medical software that predicts cardiovascular risk using retinal images. DrNoon CVD has been consistently published and presented in prestigious journals like The Lancet Digital Health, the American Heart Association, the European Society of Cardiology, and the international journal BMC Medicine.

Rim has also shared findings from his ‘DrNoon CKD’ study, which predicts chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk based on retinal blood vessel analysis, at the American Society of Nephrology and the European Renal Association (ERA). This research suggests that DrNoon CKD could serve as a novel biomarker for predicting kidney disease, often referred to as the silent organ.

“The paradigm that cardiovascular and metabolic diseases can be predicted and managed through retinal analysis is surprising but somewhat unfamiliar,” Rim remarked. “It presents a significant challenge for internists to accept this new paradigm.”

“Despite this, we are fostering ongoing consensus through publications in leading journals and presentations at major cardiology and nephrology societies,” Rim further stated. “Our research has been frequently cited in top cardiology journals and recognized by opinion leaders around the world. We will continue our academic efforts to make this concept widely accepted.” 

Currently, Mediwhale’s DrNoon CVD is used for patients with metabolic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, at 57 hospitals and clinics in Korea, including Severance Hospital in Sinchon. The DrNoon CKD solution, aimed at early chronic kidney disease prediction and currently in clinical trials, seeks domestic approval and insurance coverage by 2025.