On May 3, 2019, Masonic Cancer Center researcher Dr. Ningling Kang and colleauges at The Hormel Institute announced the discovery of the importance of protein p300 acetyltransferase in liver tumor growth.

The study was published in Hepatology, “P300 Acetyltransferase is a Cytoplasm-to-Nucleus Shuttle for SMAD2/3 and TAZ Nuclear Transport in TGFβ-stimulated Hepatic Stellate Cells,” described the importance of a protein that helps make the liver a good environment for tumor growth. Liver cancer rates have increased in recent years, with the number of new cases tripling since 1980.