Frequently asked questions.

Onyx aims to advance precision medicine by helping researchers better understand how the immune system changes over time. By combining blood samples, medical records, and health information from many participants over time, the study seeks to generate insights that may improve the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of immune-related diseases.

Onyx is a research collective based in Berkeley, California. Our founders hold PhDs from UC Berkeley with backgrounds in computational biology and AI. The study is IRB-approved, meaning an independent ethics board oversees how the research is conducted and how participant data is handled. Learn more at onyx.bio or contact us at research@onyx.bio.

IRB stands for Institutional Review Board — an independent ethics committee that reviews and oversees research involving human participants. IRB approval means our study meets established ethical standards for participant safety, informed consent, and data protection.

Eligibility depends on the specific study. Some studies enroll people with one or more autoimmune or immune-related conditions, while others enroll healthy participants to help establish baseline measurements for comparison. Additional eligibility criteria are reviewed during screening. Visit our studies page to see what's currently open.

Our studies cover a broad range of immune-mediated and inflammatory conditions beyond what may be shown in a single ad. If your condition isn't specifically mentioned, we encourage you to apply anyway — we review all completed pre-screener questionnaires and may be able to include you. We're also expanding to additional conditions over time.

No. This study is non-interventional and does not require you to start or stop any treatments. As a research member, you'll allow us to collect your medical records on your behalf and provide blood samples for our lab for purely observational study.

Members enrolled in a study receive cash compensation each time they complete a study visit. Study visits typically involve providing biospecimens for scientific analysis, such as blood testing, as well as research interviews.

The current modes of compensation are offered through Venmo, Cash (App), and PayPal. If you have another mode of compensation you prefer, we may be able to accommodate those but accommodation is not guaranteed.

Research members authorize us to request medical records on their behalf and provide blood samples for analysis. We ship a collection kit to your home with a prepaid return label — no clinic visit required. Depending on protocol, a mobile phlebotomist may visit you at home, or you may visit a partner clinic if preferred and available.

You may receive general updates or overall study-wide findings as they become available. However, you will not receive personalized medical or diagnostic results. Research tests are not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment.

Your information is governed by federal regulations and protected under HIPAA. Once you enroll, your medical record data is de-identified before it is used for research — meaning personal details like your name, address, phone number, and email are removed. Your personal information is not sold to third parties. You can read our full privacy policy for more detail.

We review every completed pre-screener questionnaire, and response times can vary. If you haven't heard back, please email support@onyx.bio with your name and the study you applied for. Our team will follow up as quickly as possible.

If you're experiencing issues with email verification, the pre-screener questionnaire, or any other step, please email support@onyx.bio and describe the issue. Our team can help you complete your application.