The “Google Maps for health care” is in the making

Verily, Alphabet’s research organization devoted to the study of life sciences since Dec. 2015, announced the launch of a four-year study called Project Baseline to find out why people transition from being generally healthy to being sick. Here’s what you need to know. (1) The project is a collaboration between Duke University, Stanford Medicine and Verily. (2) Seeking 10,000 volunteers – some in good health, and others – not so much – that will wear a Verily-developed sophisticated health tracker called Study Watch and have their genomes sequenced. (3) Researchers are hoping to discover health and wellness tips and tricks by analyzing early warning signs for diseases from all the data that is being collected. (4) By data think: clinical, molecular, imaging, self-reported, behavioral, environmental, sensor and other health-related measurements. (5) The idea is modeled on the Framingham Heart Study, which kicked off in the late 1940s, and led to the understanding that regular exercise, and a healthy diet are the basis of good health. Bottom Line: a united effort .