Healthcare company takes lead with biobank

摘要

A private healthcare organization in the United States has announced plans for one of the largest studies of how genes and lifestyle affect health. Medical researchers are keen to collect data on large cohorts of people to help them tease apart the genetic and environmental factors that cause some people to develop diseases such as cancer. Kaiser Permanente, a non-profit healthcare provider based in Oakland, California, announced on 14 February that it is inviting about 2 million of its members in northern California, who come from diverse ethnic backgrounds, to add data to the new bank. Participants will submit a DNA sample, medical history and lifestyle information.