Hi-C visualization using metaheuristic optimization

The information that human cells need to grow and to produce daughter cells is written in 4 “letters” (A, C, G, T) on strands of DNA. Because this information is so complex, DNA strands are very long and have to be tightly wound around special proteins called histones to fit within each cell nucleus. The DNA + histone complex is called chromatin, and during aging and in diseases like cancer, the winding of DNA in chromatin changes. The goal of this project is to produce and test a computational tool to visualize the folding of nuclear chromatin in 3 dimensions.