Microsoft has teamed up with Seattle-based sequencing company Adaptive Biotechnologies to map the genetics of the human immune system.

The work aims to aid the early detection of diseases, particularly cancer, allowing them to be more effectively treated.

The IT giant will bring machine learning and cloud computing capabilities, with Adaptive contributing its immune sequencing technologies.

The deal, which will see Microsoft invest in Adaptive, falls within the firm’s Healthcare NExT initiative which was launched last year to accelerate healthcare innovation by applying artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

Peter Lee, corporate VP, AI and research at Microsoft, said: “We are very excited and inspired by our collaboration with Adaptive Biotechnologies, as it clearly advances our mission to use cloud and AI technologies to transform healthcare and improve the lives of people around the world.

The two companies hope to translate the immune system’s genetic code into simple blood-based diagnostics that can be made broadly accessible to people around the world.

Chad Robins, Adaptive’s president, CEO and co-founder, said: “Some conditions like cancer or autoimmune disorders can be difficult to diagnose, but this universal map of the immune system will enable earlier and more accurate diagnosis of disease, potentially helping physicians to connect the dots to understand the relationship between disease states and eventually lead to a better understanding of overall human health.”

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