Researchers at the University of Chicago developed a liquid biopsy diagnostic based on microbiome-derived cell-free RNA modification patterns that can detect colorectal cancer (CRC) with higher accuracy than existing commercial non-invasive tests. Using a method called low-input multiple methylation sequencing (LIME-seq), the team identified distinct RNA methylation signatures in plasma samples that differentiate CRC patients from healthy controls. Their findings, published in Nature Biotechnology, represent the first use of RNA modifications as cancer biomarkers and hold promise for earlier detection of CRC.