Geological tool helps study biology of cancer at atomic levels [Video]

In a major breakthrough, scientists have discovered a unique “fingerprint” within cancer cells based on their hydrogen composition.

They found that cancer cells exhibit a significantly lower proportion of the heavier hydrogen isotope (deuterium) compared to healthy cells. Geochemist Ashley Maloney and a team at CU Boulder turned to geological techniques to analyze cancer cells at the atomic level.

“This study adds a whole new layer to medicine,” she said.

For the first time, cancer researchers employed a tool used in geology to study the history of our planet: hydrogen atoms. Notably, climate scientists analyze different forms of hydrogen trapped in the ice of Antarctica to understand Earth’s past temperatures.

And could these atoms that reach so far back in time help us to …