Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome: Opportunities and translational challenges

Lampros Androutsos; Thomas Birngruber; Ivana Campia; Natalia Escacena; Alexandru Floares; Carmen Floares; Nikolaus Hahne; Jan Kischkat; Maaz Mohsin; Sheraz Naseer; Sabine Oertelt-Prigione; Thomas Pieber; Heikki Saari; Raphael Schlesinger; Maxine Silvestrov; Negin Soroush; Marco Straccia; Oliver Supplie; Hermann Von Lilienfeld-Toal; Oili M.E. Ylivaara; Adrian Zety

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633

Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome: Opportunities and translational challenges

Lampros Androutsos
, Thomas Birngruber^*
, Ivana Campia
, Natalia Escacena
, Alexandru Floares^*
, Carmen Floares
, Nikolaus Hahne
, Jan Kischkat^*
, Maaz Mohsin
, Sheraz Naseer
, Sabine Oertelt-Prigione^*
, Thomas Pieber
, Heikki Saari
, Raphael Schlesinger
, Maxine Silvestrov
, Negin Soroush
, Marco Straccia^*
, Oliver Supplie
, Hermann Von Lilienfeld-Toal
, Oili M.E. Ylivaara^*

Adrian Zety

^*Corresponding author for this work

BA6212 Medical microsystems

Artificial Intelligence Expert SRL
JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
FRESCI - Science&Strategy SL
Quantune Technologies GmbH
Radboud University Nijmegen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › peer-review

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial condition associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other comorbidities. Current diagnosis relies on episodic clinical assessments and invasive laboratory tests, limiting early detection and continuous monitoring in real-world settings. Digital health technologies, particularly wearable biosensors, may help address these limitations through continuous and user-centered monitoring. The MiWear project explores miniaturized mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to support non-invasive biomarker monitoring in interstitial fluid (ISF). By focusing on Mid-IR molecular signatures relevant to MetS, the approach could enable earlier risk stratification and longitudinal metabolic assessment outside traditional clinical environments. We discuss sex- and gender-related considerations, analytical and clinical validation needs, regulatory pathways, and implementation scenarios across primary care, population health, and telemedicine. This translational roadmap highlights opportunities and challenges for integrating Mid-IR wearable biosensing in preventive, patient-centered metabolic healthcare.

Original language	English
Article number	116633
Pages (from-to)	116633
Journal	iScience
Volume	29
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633
Publication status	Published - 17 Jul 2026
MoE publication type	A2 Review article in a scientific journal

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe program under the European Innovation Council Pathfinder Initiative, grant agreement ID 101115476.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

biodevices
digital health
interstitial fluid monitoring
medical device in health technology
metabolic flux analysis
metabolic syndrome
mid-infrared spectroscopy
wearable biosensors

Access to Document

10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Androutsos, L., Birngruber, T., Campia, I., Escacena, N., Floares, A., Floares, C., Hahne, N., Kischkat, J., Mohsin, M., Naseer, S., Oertelt-Prigione, S., Pieber, T., Saari, H., Schlesinger, R., Silvestrov, M., Soroush, N., Straccia, M., Supplie, O., Von Lilienfeld-Toal, H., ... Zety, A. (2026). Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome: Opportunities and translational challenges. iScience, 29(7), 116633. Article 116633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633

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abstract = "Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial condition associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other comorbidities. Current diagnosis relies on episodic clinical assessments and invasive laboratory tests, limiting early detection and continuous monitoring in real-world settings. Digital health technologies, particularly wearable biosensors, may help address these limitations through continuous and user-centered monitoring. The MiWear project explores miniaturized mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to support non-invasive biomarker monitoring in interstitial fluid (ISF). By focusing on Mid-IR molecular signatures relevant to MetS, the approach could enable earlier risk stratification and longitudinal metabolic assessment outside traditional clinical environments. We discuss sex- and gender-related considerations, analytical and clinical validation needs, regulatory pathways, and implementation scenarios across primary care, population health, and telemedicine. This translational roadmap highlights opportunities and challenges for integrating Mid-IR wearable biosensing in preventive, patient-centered metabolic healthcare.",

keywords = "biodevices, digital health, interstitial fluid monitoring, medical device in health technology, metabolic flux analysis, metabolic syndrome, mid-infrared spectroscopy, wearable biosensors",

author = "Lampros Androutsos and Thomas Birngruber and Ivana Campia and Natalia Escacena and Alexandru Floares and Carmen Floares and Nikolaus Hahne and Jan Kischkat and Maaz Mohsin and Sheraz Naseer and Sabine Oertelt-Prigione and Thomas Pieber and Heikki Saari and Raphael Schlesinger and Maxine Silvestrov and Negin Soroush and Marco Straccia and Oliver Supplie and \{Von Lilienfeld-Toal\}, Hermann and Ylivaara, \{Oili M.E.\} and Adrian Zety",

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Androutsos, L, Birngruber, T, Campia, I, Escacena, N, Floares, A, Floares, C, Hahne, N, Kischkat, J, Mohsin, M, Naseer, S, Oertelt-Prigione, S, Pieber, T, Saari, H, Schlesinger, R, Silvestrov, M, Soroush, N, Straccia, M, Supplie, O, Von Lilienfeld-Toal, H, Ylivaara, OME & Zety, A 2026, 'Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome: Opportunities and translational challenges', iScience, vol. 29, no. 7, 116633, pp. 116633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome

T2 - Opportunities and translational challenges

AU - Androutsos, Lampros

AU - Birngruber, Thomas

AU - Campia, Ivana

AU - Escacena, Natalia

AU - Floares, Alexandru

AU - Floares, Carmen

AU - Hahne, Nikolaus

AU - Kischkat, Jan

AU - Mohsin, Maaz

AU - Naseer, Sheraz

AU - Oertelt-Prigione, Sabine

AU - Pieber, Thomas

AU - Saari, Heikki

AU - Schlesinger, Raphael

AU - Silvestrov, Maxine

AU - Soroush, Negin

AU - Straccia, Marco

AU - Supplie, Oliver

AU - Von Lilienfeld-Toal, Hermann

AU - Ylivaara, Oili M.E.

AU - Zety, Adrian

PY - 2026/7/17

Y1 - 2026/7/17

N2 - Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial condition associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other comorbidities. Current diagnosis relies on episodic clinical assessments and invasive laboratory tests, limiting early detection and continuous monitoring in real-world settings. Digital health technologies, particularly wearable biosensors, may help address these limitations through continuous and user-centered monitoring. The MiWear project explores miniaturized mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to support non-invasive biomarker monitoring in interstitial fluid (ISF). By focusing on Mid-IR molecular signatures relevant to MetS, the approach could enable earlier risk stratification and longitudinal metabolic assessment outside traditional clinical environments. We discuss sex- and gender-related considerations, analytical and clinical validation needs, regulatory pathways, and implementation scenarios across primary care, population health, and telemedicine. This translational roadmap highlights opportunities and challenges for integrating Mid-IR wearable biosensing in preventive, patient-centered metabolic healthcare.

AB - Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a multifactorial condition associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other comorbidities. Current diagnosis relies on episodic clinical assessments and invasive laboratory tests, limiting early detection and continuous monitoring in real-world settings. Digital health technologies, particularly wearable biosensors, may help address these limitations through continuous and user-centered monitoring. The MiWear project explores miniaturized mid-infrared (Mid-IR) spectroscopy combined with artificial intelligence (AI) to support non-invasive biomarker monitoring in interstitial fluid (ISF). By focusing on Mid-IR molecular signatures relevant to MetS, the approach could enable earlier risk stratification and longitudinal metabolic assessment outside traditional clinical environments. We discuss sex- and gender-related considerations, analytical and clinical validation needs, regulatory pathways, and implementation scenarios across primary care, population health, and telemedicine. This translational roadmap highlights opportunities and challenges for integrating Mid-IR wearable biosensing in preventive, patient-centered metabolic healthcare.

KW - biodevices

KW - digital health

KW - interstitial fluid monitoring

KW - medical device in health technology

KW - metabolic flux analysis

KW - metabolic syndrome

KW - mid-infrared spectroscopy

KW - wearable biosensors

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105043700501

U2 - 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633

DO - 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116633

M3 - Review Article

C2 - 42491531

AN - SCOPUS:105043700501

SN - 2589-0042

VL - 29

SP - 116633

JO - iScience

JF - iScience

IS - 7

M1 - 116633

ER -

Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome: Opportunities and translational challenges

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

MiWear: Mid-infrared Wearable for Non-invasive biomarker monitoring

Cite this

Mid-infrared wearable biosensing for metabolic syndrome: Opportunities and translational challenges

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

MiWear: Mid-infrared Wearable for Non-invasive biomarker monitoring

Cite this