Apple is getting into the genetics business. A new report from Technology Review says that the company is collaborating with researchers for two different ResearchKit apps that will collect and study genetic data. In keeping with previous ResearchKit studies, Apple won't collect any of the samples or have access to the results, but Apple's ResearchKit software will guide the process and coordinate subjects across studies. The move suggests a major new direction for the company's medical research software, and an exciting new avenue for genetic research. According to Technology Review, Apple is planning to announce the studies at WWDC in June.

The DNA test seems to be a simple spit test covering the most note-worthy portions of the subject's genome, akin to the tests offered by consumer services like 23andMe. Unlike consumer services, all the ResearchKit tests will be performed by doctors and subject to approval from internal ethics review boards. It's also likely that ResearchKit will eventually enable sharing between studies, allowing a user who has been tested once to enter a new study without a second round of spit.