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Proper regulation of genome architecture and activity is essential for the development and function of multicellular organisms. Histone modifications, acting in combination, specify these activity states at individual genomic loci. However, the methods used to study these modifications often require either a large number of cells or are limited to targeting one histone mark at a time. Here, we developed a new method called Single Cell Evaluation of Post-TRanslational Epigenetic Encoding (SCEPTRE) that uses Expansion Microscopy (ExM) to visualize and quantify multiple histone modifications at non-repetitive genomic regions in single cells at a spatial resolution of ∼75 nm. Using SCEPTRE, we distinguished multiple histone modifications at a single housekeeping gene, quantified histone modification levels at multiple developmentally-regulated genes in individual cells, and evaluated the relationship between histone modifications and RNA polymerase II loading at individual loci. We find extensive variability in epigenetic states between individual gene loci hidden from current population-averaged measurements. These findings establish SCEPTRE as a new technique for multiplexed detection of combinatorial chromatin states at single genomic loci in single cells., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.)

Over the past 15 years, the Cancer Information Service (CIS) of the National Cancer Institute has generated a substantial body of research. In the present report, this research is reviewed as it pertains to five key questions: 1) Who uses the CIS? 2) What are the topics of inquiry? 3) How do callers learn of the CIS? 4) Do CIS campaigns and unplanned events affect CIS call volume? 5) Can the CIS influence behavior? Major conclusions from this review can be summarized as follows: 1) The vast majority of callers to the CIS are female, White/Anglo, and of middle-class background. 2) Most calls relate directly or indirectly to cancer-treatment issues. 3) A variety of media and sources are reported by CIS callers, with television ranking high across most studies. 4) CIS call volume can be substantially influenced by promotion campaigns and unplanned events. 5) The available evidence suggests that the CIS can influence behavior, especially information-seeking behavior. Recommendations for future research are discussed in light of the results of this review.

This paper identifies the potential applications of information-management technology in the Cancer Information Service national network and describes some innovations of individual network offices in each area. New applications are explored and recommendations are made for coordinating these efforts nationally.