News and Updates - Kaiser Permanente Research Bank

Approved Research Studies

December 8, 2025

Why do nearly twice as many Black women die from uterine cancer than white women? Uterine cancer death rates between...

What is genetics? What is genomics? And what is the difference?

December 8, 2025

Based on NHGRI fact sheet https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Genetics-vs-Genomics Both genetics and genomics directly impact our health and well-being. Genetics refers to the...

What is the KP Research Bank’s National Community Advisory Board?

December 8, 2025

Since the launch of the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank in 2015, the National Community Advisory Board (NCAB) has helped guide...

Our immense research bank drives medical breakthroughs

September 23, 2025

The Kaiser Permanente Research Bank is one of the largest biobanks in the world. We use it to improve lives...

Recently approved KP Research Bank studies

June 25, 2025

Towards a More Personalized Approach to Weight Loss New weight loss drugs, including semaglutide (Ozempic; Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro; Zepbound),...

Artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, and genomics

June 25, 2025

(Based on NHGRI: https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/educational-resources/fact-sheets/artificial-intelligence-machine-learning-and-genomics) There are many definitions of artificial intelligence (AI). It is a technology that can be hard...

Interview with Robert Hufnagel, MD, PhD: KP Hawaii and KP Research Bank physician-scientist

June 25, 2025

When you talk with Dr. Rob Hufnagel, it feels like you’re talking with one of the friendliest and most down-to-earth...

Recently approved KP Research Bank studies

December 2, 2024

Polygenic risk for coronary heart disease — factors that might increase risk Drs. Carlos Iribarren and Jamal Rana, whose recently...

Kaiser Permanente scientists find ways genomic risk scores may help identify patients at higher risk for heart disease

December 2, 2024

In recent newsletters we’ve discussed how polygenic risk scores could soon become a new tool to help physicians guide health...

Meet Alex Lituev — the physician-scientist who directs the KP Research Bank Biorepository

December 2, 2024

Alex Lituev is a man of many diverse talents, skills, and interests. We are very fortunate that he is the...

Recently Approved KP Research Bank Studies

June 17, 2024

Do shingles vaccines help prevent dementia? Scientists will examine whether getting a shingles vaccine lowers the risk of developing dementia....

The gut microbiome and the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank

June 17, 2024

Over the last two years, the blood and saliva samples provided by Kaiser Permanente (KP) Research Bank participants have been...

What’s next — Kaiser Permanente Research Bank genotyping and precision medicine

June 17, 2024

At the end of 2023, the Kaiser Permanente (KP) Research Bank achieved a milestone — it finished genotyping participants’ blood...

Approved KP Research Bank Studies

December 12, 2023

Cardiovascular health and telomere length: what does this mean and how does this affect the health of people who are...

Chuck McAvoy, longtime Kaiser Permanente Research Bank CAB and ARC member

December 12, 2023

Chuck McAvoy is a longtime Kaiser Permanente member and retired employee. Chuck is also one of the longest-standing members of...

ELSI

December 12, 2023

The social, ethical, and legal impacts of genomics research Scientists’ ability to understand individuals’ DNA is improving all the time....

Take a look at our newsletters

September 29, 2023

Learn about approved research projects using information from our Research Bank and other exciting updates about what’s happening in health research.

What is Epigenetics?

May 8, 2023

Our genes are important for our health, but so are our behaviors and environments. Our behaviors and environments include what...

Dr. Akinyemi Oni-Orisan: A Scientist Who Studies Clinical Pharmacy Care, Genomics, and the Importance of Racial Diversity

May 8, 2023

If you look at Dr. Oni-Orisan’s University of California San Francisco biography, you’ll find that he and his colleagues study...

Approved KP Research Bank Studies

May 8, 2023

Why are some women more likely to develop breast cancer in the 10 years after they have a baby? Scientists...

Study Finds Genetic Difference in COVID-19 Severity

November 15, 2022

Genetic differences help explain why some people who get COVID-19 need to be hospitalized and others have only mild symptoms...

Polygenic Risk Scores and Racial and Ethnic Diversity

November 15, 2022

As we wrote in our last KP Research Bank Newsletter, polygenic risk scores are a new way to estimate an...

Approved KP Research Bank Studies

November 15, 2022

The following projects were recently approved to use KP Research Bank information.

Genetic Changes and Polygenic Risk Scores

May 17, 2022

Many people have an illness that is affected by changes in one or many of their genes. Researchers are studying...

Using Research Bank Information to Improve Our Understanding of Migraine Headaches

May 17, 2022

Migraine headaches affect about 12% of the U.S. population. People with migraines may have other symptoms like sensitivity to light,...

Approved KP Research Bank Studies

May 17, 2022

The following projects were recently approved to use KP Research Bank information.

Exercise linked to better mental health

November 11, 2021

Kaiser Permanente 2020 study shows that people who were the most active and spent time outdoors during the pandemic reported...

Cancer survivorship and the KP Research Bank

October 21, 2021

Improving cancer care for patients remains a high priority for Kaiser Permanente. Nearly 50,000 Kaiser Permanente members are diagnosed with...

COVID-19 Research Updates

October 21, 2021

Kaiser Permanente scientists are working to understand the various impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our lives using two important...

Approved KP Research Bank Studies

October 21, 2021

The following projects were recently approved to use KP Research Bank information. Investigating the Risk of Endometrial Cancer Excess weight...

Using information from the Research Bank to improve children’s health

February 24, 2021

Kaiser Permanente researchers are using information from our Research Bank for a National Institutes of Health study on how contact...

Improving Diversity and Inclusion in the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank

February 24, 2021

In 2017, Kaiser Permanente Georgia research staff began work to increase the number of people from diverse racial and ethnic...

Approved Research Bank Studies

February 24, 2021

We are happy to hear you enjoyed reading about Kaiser Permanente Research Bank projects and publications. We’ll continue to include...

Meet Chris Parker

June 24, 2020

A Conversation with Our National Community Advisory Board Member from Kaiser Permanente Georgia.

Improving Cancer Care by Participating in Research

June 24, 2020

Nearly 15.5 million cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today, and that number is expected to grow to more...

What Kind of Health Research Does the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank Support?

June 24, 2020

Researchers use the Kaiser Permanente Research Bank to look at how genetic patterns, the environment, and health are connected. Here...

Genetic regions associated with corneal thickness identified by Kaiser Permanente researchers

June 11, 2020

Study offers insights into eye disease risk, particularly for African Americans.

Genetic underpinnings of near-sightedness identified in new research

March 30, 2020

Kaiser Permanente researchers and data were key part of study published in Nature Genetics.

Interview with Hélène Choquet, PhD, Kaiser Permanente Staff Scientist

November 22, 2019

Hélène Choquet is a staff scientist at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research in Oakland, California. Hélène’s primary interests focus on...

Pharmacogenomics – using genetic data to improve prescribing

November 22, 2019

Pharmacogenomics is a growing branch of genetic research that can draw on the resources of the KPRB. Pharmacogenomics can indicate how individuals’ genetic make-up may affect how they respond to certain medications. How might the KP Research Bank contribute to discoveries in this area of science?