p53 is a tumor suppressor that has a central role in regulating cell cycle arrest, DNA repair, and apoptosis. p53 is widely studied for its role in cancer and is mutated or altered in more than half of all cancers (1). This widespread role in tumorigenesis has made p53 one of the most highly studied proteins and a target for anti-cancer therapeutics. Normally, p53 allows cells to sense and respond to cellular stress such as DNA damage or hypoxia (2). In response to these signals, p53 is activated through post-translational modification and protein stabilization.
