A new technique that hopes to understand the genetic changes of breast cancer just received monetary support.

ScienceDaily reports the University of Nottingham received £15,000 from the charity Breast Cancer Campaign, which carried out a study by top breast cancer experts to identify gaps in research.  Identifying the undiscovered genes thought to be involved in the early stage of breast cancer was deemed one of those gaps.

The charity's grant was awarded to Ian Ellis, Professor of Cancer Pathology, and is part of £2.3 million awarded to 20 projects around the United Kingdom, according to ScienceDaily.

Scientists know that breast cancer can develop when the genes in breast cells change, reports ScieneDaily. Defects in genes account for 5% to 10% of all breast cancers, though the article notes that all forms of breast cancer have acquired gene defects in early development of the disease. Many of these genes are undiscovered, and these defective genes can cause physical changes in the breast to cause cancer.

A flat atypical epithelial (FEA) cell is one of the earliest physical signs that a normal breast cell has turned cancerous, reports ScienceDaily. Professor Ellis will study the genes in the FEA cells to target cells involved in those earliest stages of breast cancer.