THOUGHT Google already knew a lot about you? The company’s latest project aims to delve into biology to uncover what it means to be a healthy person.
The company’s experimental research arm Google X, in collaboration with Duke University in North Carolina and Stanford University in California, has launched the Baseline study to sequence the genomes of 175 volunteers. Researchers will also collect bodily fluids and information on each person’s diet, drug use and family history.
“Baseline will measure more biological and physiological measures simultaneously than could have been imagined until very recently,” says collaborator Robert Califf at Duke University. “The sheer amount of data is astounding.” The team plans to expand the database to thousands of people in the next few years.
Baseline marks Google’s third foray into biology after Calico, its anti-ageing research arm, and a smart contact lens with sensors that measure glucose levels in people with diabetes.
This article appeared in print under the headline “Google genetics”