The exciting symposium hosted by Journal of Molecular Cell Biology (JMCB), with the theme ‘The Legend of p53 vs. Cancer’, took place in Hangzhou, China on May 10–12, 2019. The symposium provided the opportunity for delegates in the fields of p53 biology, epigenetics, and cancer research to share scientific updates and to bridge the gap between basic science and translational research. The delegates also enjoyed celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the discovery of p53, as well as the 50th anniversary of the discovery of RNA polymerases.