Liquid Biopsy and its Role in Cancer Prevention

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Caption: DNA (blue) loops around nucleosomes (gray) and is bound by transcription factors (red), proteins that switch genes on and off and act in a tissue-specific manner. When cells die, enzymes (scissors) chop up areas between the nucleosomes and transcription factors, releasing DNA fragments in unique patterns. By gathering the released DNA fragments in blood, researchers can tell which types of cells produced them.
Credit: Shendure Lab/University of Washington

From National Institutes of Health Web Sites

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• A New Tool in the Toolbox: New Method Traces Free-Floating DNA Back to Its Source  
  Francis Collins, NIH Director, Blog Post, February 16, 2016
• Detecting early signs of cancer in the blood  
  NIH Research matters, August 29, 2017