Google’s X division wants to know what’s up with human health.
The company’s research arm is planning an initial study of 175 people to collect anonymous health data from biological samples, including blood and saliva.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Google’s Baseline Study will compile a database of full genomes for each participant. Researchers will be able to track an individual's genetic history, metabolic processes and even heart rate while under stress.
The goal, says lead researcher Andrew Conrad, is to build a healthy human standard for comparison — a baseline.
“We are just asking the question: If we really wanted to be proactive, what would we need to know? You need to know what the fixed, well-running thing should look like,” said Conrad.
Conrad says study participants will probably use wearable tech from Google’s life sciences division — including the contact lenses Google developed to track glucose levels in diabetic users.
Google will turn its massive computing power loose on the data to look for biomarkers that could help medical researchers spot disease and health issues sooner.
The project is not meant to turn into a specific commercial product or service, but Google hopes it will ultimately have a benefit on human health.