Recruiting Genes

Brigham and Women's Hospital patients "will soon be asked to provide a blood sample for genetic testing," the Boston Globe's Carolyn Johnson reports. The Harvard-affiliated hospital plans to build a database of genetic information with the hope of elucidating the genetic causes of various diseases. The researchers hope to eventually compile genetic samples from 100,000 people, both sick and healthy, Johnson says. "By linking the data to medical records and following patients over time, the scientists hope to illuminate the interplay of genes, lifestyle, and the environment in causing disease," she adds.