Biomarkers, human health

Abstract

The term “biomarker” comes from the Greek term “βιο-“, meaning life, in combination with “mark”, Old English of “mearcere”, meaning “writer, notary”, or literally “one who marks”. In scientific literature the word first emerged in the 1970s, but the concept has been part of biomedical research for decades. Various definitions were established over the years, the simplest describes it as a “biological endpoint (or change of) measured in the organism” used as an indicator in clinical practice, drug development and risk assessment research. As a result, several subtypes have been defined according to the field/subject of the study in question. © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.