MiWear

Modern medicine has improved dramatically through a better understanding of what causes a condition or what it is correlated to. However, the healthcare system still follows an episodic (reactive) model, where patients only seek medical advice when there are symptoms, which, for certain medical conditions, has proven critically insufficient. In this context, one of the main burdens for our socioeconomic system in Europe by a single disease is without question the metabolic syndrome (MbS). MbS is prominently visible in the large and ever-growing number of overweight or obese individuals. Yet, its true negative dramatic consequences among others are arteriosclerosis, hereby induced myocardial infarction, and stroke. Several biomarkers such as uric acid, albumin, or ketone bodies correlate with MbS and often indicate different aspects of the metabolic syndrome. The more biomarkers can be measured and quantified with high accuracy, the easier it becomes to make conclusive decisions on the patient’s status. False negatives as well as false positives can be avoided much better with more parameters – if each of them is measured individually and directly without the need for indirect methods where evaluations are easily overfitted. We provide an alternative approach for the measurement of biomarkers, using a miniatured Mid-Infrared spectrometer, a technology that is only used in laboratories due to its size and cost. The result of the project will be a wearable device to detect biomarkers non-invasively and pain-free in the interstitial fluid in the skin. For MiWear, we have gathered an impressive consortium combining expert knowledge on biomarkers, optical spectroscopy, laser physics, business management, finances, and the gender dimension of biomarkers. During the project, we will generate opportunities for young researchers, and engage with different stakeholders to ensure maximum outreach of our research and development activities.