Department of Biology Professor Charles Baer was part of a study led by Texas A&M University Chemical Engineering researchers that documented in vitro evolution of breast cancer cells in response to natural selection imposed by the mechanical stiffness of the extracellular matrix. The response was driven by rare genetic variants, highlighting the importance of accounting for within-tumor genetic heterogeneity when characterizing the effects of extracellular features.
Study link: Genetic variation drives cancer cell adaptation to ECM stiffness