Nearly half of all cancer patients receive radiation therapy to curb the growth of malignant cells. But little is known about how ionizing radiation affects the extracellular matrix (ECM), a patchwork of proteins and other biomolecules that surrounds cells and plays a vital role in their shape, movement and signaling functions. One team of researchers from Vanderbilt University aims to unlock how irradiation might alter the mechanical properties of the microenvironment.