Advances in Comprehensive Exposure Assessment: Opportunities for the US Military

Abstract

Objective: Review advances in exposure assessment offered by the exposome concept and new -omics and sensor technologies.

Methods: Narrative review of advances, including current efforts and potential future applications by the US military.

Results: Exposure assessment methods from both bottom-up and top-down exposomics approaches are advancing at a rapid pace, and the US military is engaged in developing both approaches. Top-down approaches employ various -omics technologies to identify biomarkers of internal exposure and biological effect. Bottom-up approaches use new sensor technology to better measure external dose. Key challenges of both approaches are largely centered around how to integrate, analyze, and interpret large datasets that are multidimensional and disparate.

Conclusions: Advances in -omics and sensor technologies may dramatically enhance exposure assessment and improve our ability to characterize health risks related to occupational and environmental exposures, including for the US military.