Screening
How screening works
Screening on Biome is designed to give research teams better signal with less manual work, while ensuring applicants are evaluated fairly and pseudonymously.
The screening process
- 1A research partner applies to a study
- 2Biome calculates an eligibility status based on the applicant's profile data and questionnaire responses (if the study includes a screening questionnaire)
- 3Biome surfaces the applicant's reliability score based on their platform-wide track record
- 4The research team reviews the application in their screening dashboard
- 5The research team makes the final decision: approve, waitlist, or deny
Screening is researcher-driven. Biome provides signals but does not auto-approve or auto-reject anyone.
Eligibility
Eligibility is study-specific. It compares the applicant's profile against the study's inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria, age range, and screening questionnaire responses.
An applicant marked as "Eligible" matches the defined criteria. An applicant marked as "Not eligible" has one or more mismatches. In both cases, the research team makes the final call — eligibility is advisory, not binding.
Reliability
Reliability is platform-wide. It reflects the applicant's behavior across all studies they have taken part in on Biome:
- How many studies they have completed
- Their average compliance score
- Whether they have withdrawals, no-shows, or violations in their history
The score weights completion rate most heavily, with an additional component for the volume of completed studies. An applicant needs at least 3 completed studies for their reliability score to be meaningful; until then it is shown as provisional.
Pseudonymity in screening
Research teams see the applicant's pseudonym, identicon, region, age range, device capability, sample comfort, language fluency, and study history. They never see the applicant's real name, email address, phone number, or government identification. All screening is conducted through pseudonymised profiles.