It stands to reason that if you want to perform genetic research, you are going to need some genetic samples. While you could always go out and collect your own, Kaiser Permanente is doing much of the work for you. Since the end of 2008, the healthcare provider has been gathering a collection of DNA samples and medical histories from thousands of its customers as part of their Research Program on Genes, Environment, and Health (RPGEH). The goal is to create a database that will enable researchers to discover links between our genes and the diseases we develop. As of the end of summer, KP has collected more than 100,000 saliva samples and their corresponding health records from volunteers. By 2013, they hope to reach half a million. That’s a lot of spit. Watch experts from KP explain their project in a clip from ABC’s The View From The Bay after the break.

BioBanks are large collections of genetic and medical information. They are formed by convincing huge numbers of volunteers to submit DNA samples and answer detailed surverys about their health and where they live. All that effort comes with a big payoff: the data in a BioBank can be used to find statistical correlations between genes and increased risks of diseases, and to determine how those risks are affected by the factors in someone’s environment. With a large enough BioBank, and the time to analyze it, scientists could discover the effects of our genetic code, and lead the way to new treatments for all manner of illnesses. They could also predict negative reactions to medications or even find new environmental links to disease.

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