The stated goal of the Personal Genome Project, headed by George Church, is to get 100,000 people to give samples of their DNA and personal histories including environments in which they have lived, habits they have formed, and behaviors they exhibit, and consent for that information to be available to the public. The purpose of obtaining the information outside of the genetic sequence is for researchers to understand what influences the likelihood of developing a disease outside of genetics.
The participants of the project have their DNA sequenced and have a file created for them in the Personal Genome Project where other information is contained. Information from contexts outside of the DNA will be collected from sources such as electronic medical records, RNA, proteomes, metabolite measures, and imaging data.
To become participants in the project, people must first take an exam to show genetic literacy. Then there will be written data collection followed by the sample collection of the participants' DNA. The DNA is sent to a laboratory to have the exome sequenced, which will then be studied and researched by scientists involved in the project. The results and insights from the exome are then shared and made public.
