THE ROLE OF BIOMARKERS IN ASSESSING TOXICITY: ADVANCES IN TOXICOGENOMICS AND PERSONALIZED MEDICINE

Abstract

Biomarkers play an increasingly critical role in modern toxicity assessment by enabling early detection of adverse biological effects and improving mechanistic understanding of toxic responses. Advances in toxicogenomics, high-throughput transcriptomics, and computational modeling have accelerated the development of predictive biomarkers that support precision toxicology and personalized medicine. This systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines to synthesize empirical evidence on biomarker-based toxicity assessment, with particular emphasis on toxicogenomics innovations and individualized risk prediction. A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, DOAJ, and ScienceDirect identified 210 records published between 2015 and 2025. Following duplicate removal, screening, and eligibility assessment, 14 peer-reviewed empirical studies were included in the final qualitative synthesis. The findings indicate that transcriptomics-based biomarkers remain the dominant platform for toxicity prediction, particularly for drug-induced liver injury and mechanistic chemical profiling. Artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches were also prominent, enhancing biomarker discovery, multi-organ toxicity prediction, and carcinogenic risk assessment. Emerging evidence further highlights the growing importance of epigenetic and exposomic biomarkers for monitoring real-world environmental exposures and supporting personalized toxicity evaluation. Overall, the review demonstrates a clear transition toward genomic biomarker frameworks, reduced reliance on animal testing, and integration of multi-omics and AI technologies in next-generation risk assessment. These developments underscore the evolution of toxicity assessment toward more predictive, mechanistic, and individualized paradigms, with biomarker innovation central to the future of precision toxicology.