Cancer's Progress Detailed by 3D Genomic Maps Researchers have long known that cancer alters its genome as it evolves. What has been less clear is how, when, and why genomic structures change as cancer progresses. A new Yale study published Aug. 18 in Nature Genetics reveals critical insights and potential biomarkers of stage-specific cancer development. Using a technique called chromatin tracing, Yale researchers created detailed 3D maps of genome structures in individual cells in mouse models of lung and pancreatic cancers, driven by the cancer-causing gene KRAS. The maps reveal how chromosomes fold and genes are positioned in the cell nucleus. They also chart cancer’s route from pre-cancerous to advanced disease, even identifying different cancer cell states based solely on the 3D structure of their genomes. “Importantly, using the unprecedented 3D genome maps, we developed new ways to better nominate cancer-driving genes. These are potential new drug targets for lung cancer, th...