Next-generation digital biomarkers: continuous molecular health monitoring using wearable devices

On October 5, 2023, a seminar on next-generation digital biomarkers was conducted at ETH Zurich, Switzerland. A consortium of interdisciplinary experts from engineering and translational medicine discussed the emergence of wearable device-based body-fluid analysis such as for sweat, interstitial fluid, and breath, and their translation from bench to clinical application. While molecular next-generation digital biomarkers derived from these body fluids can be collected noninvasively or minimally invasively, and analyzed independently from specialized laboratories, one major asset of those innovative wearable devices is the unique ability to generate continuous molecular information of health and disease. With the increasing availability of digital health technologies, the term 'continuous' has been used increasingly recently. However, a clear definition of 'continuous' remains lacking. To foster a deeper and interoperable understanding of 'continuous' derived from the interdisciplinary perspectives, each presenter was asked about their personal conception of the term. Their valuable feedback was summarized and is discussed within this article.