• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
SayoStudio

SayoStudio

Seeking: Scientific dreamers in need of a partner to visualize their discoveries & technology.

  • Case Studies
  • Services
    • Animations
    • Illustration
    • Design
  • About Us
    • Our Process
    • Blog
    • Gallery
    • FAQs
  • Get In Touch
  • Shop

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Science Graphics for Cancer Therapy

January 19, 2023

Graphics to Understand the p53 and MDM2 Cancer Pathway

medical cover art cancer patients by SayoStudio for AACR
Editorial cancer art for AACR, by SayoStudio, one of many science graphics we create for cancer research.

Our broad mission at SayoStudio is to share scientists’ discoveries in engaging, informative visual ways. But, we also have a vested interest in science that directly impacts our daily lives.

Like many of you, many of us at SayoStudio have close family members who have battled cancer. It gives us pride, and so much hope to create science graphics that help explain exciting cancer research: from figures for scientists like Ben Izar at the University of Columbia, to editorial art for non-profits like AACR, to animations for life science companies turning their research into life-saving drugs.

We recently finished an animation (top of page) for Rain Oncology, a cancer therapeutics development company. You can peek at our animation process in our biotech animation case study. In this post, we’re looking at the illustrated diagram to explore some of the scientific details of the cancer target, protein MDM2.

Understanding and Sketching the MDM2 Cancer Pathway

The initial concept sketch shows the delicate balance between p53 (blue) and MDM2 (red), and how Milademetam (green) may be able to restore that balance. On the left is a healthy cell, center—an unhealthy cell, and right—a Milademetan treated cell. Sketch ©SayoStudio
A previous illustration of MDM2’s involvement in cancer. On the left, MDM2 (red) is overactive, and cancer ensues. On the right, Milademetan inactivates MDM2, allowing p53 (blue) to activate pathways to halt cancer.

As with all of our projects, we got started learning about the MDM2 pathway so that we could effectively communicate the story. To understand MDM2, we have to step back and learn about the protein p53. The protein p53, often called the guardian of the genome, is critical to halting a cancerous cell’s growth before it turns into a tumor.

It’s implicated in 50% of all cancers. But how? In normal cells, p53 activates the DNA repair pathway when DNA is damaged, or even proactively destroys cells that can’t be saved. Unfortunately, it’s also been incredibly difficult to design a drug to target it, for numerous reasons (sorry, that’s another story for another day!).

Thus, scientists have been searching for other targets in the complex pathway. Enter the protein MDM2. MDM2 is an inhibitor of p53. Think of MDM2 as handcuffs on our hero, p53. So even if p53 is active, out-of-control MDM2 hinders p53 from kick-starting fixes to the mutated DNA that may lead to cancer.

Restoring the balance of P53 and MDM, Cancer Therapy Graphic

The finished science diagram uses a combination of 3D art and graphic symbols to emphasize the changing balance of MDM2 and p53—shown in a healthy cell, a cancer cell, and a Milademetan-treated cell—in one master image. © SayoStudio.

At the heart of the story, is a balance of power between p53 and MDM2. By tweaking this balance, Rain scientists have determined that MDM2 is a viable target. They’ve identified a small molecule that deactivates MDM2, allowing p53 to resume its job. It’s this small molecule, named Milademetan, that is showing promising results in clinical trials.

Once MDM2 is deactivated by Milademetan, p53 can regain its function guarding against mutated DNA and out-of-control cell growth. You can learn more about Rain Oncology’s clinical trials, currently targeting difficult-to-treat cancers like liposarcoma.

Get Inspired!

...with new science art and sci-communication tips. Join the SayoStudio conversation to receive newsletters, special offers and more.

Related posts:

Visualizing Climate Change

April 22, 2025

Science Communication Podcast

April 17, 2025

Aftermath of Wildfires: Visualizing Landslide Risk

April 3, 2025

Animation,  Science,  Science Illustration animation for life science,  biotech graphics,  biotech visuals,  cancer graphics,  life scicence animation,  science communication

« Previous Post
Next Post »
guest

guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Primary Sidebar

Need a custom science visual?

Shop our science gifts

Recent Posts

  • Visualizing Climate Change
  • Science Communication Podcast
  • Aftermath of Wildfires: Visualizing Landslide Risk
  • A Cosmic Science Comic Comes Alive
  • Science Communication Tips to Attract Investors for Funding of Science
Ready to get started?

We are excited to learn more about your work to help visualize your story.



Footer

Navigation

  • Case Studies
  • Services
    • Animations
    • Illustration
    • Design
  • About Us
    • Our Process
    • Blog
    • Gallery
    • FAQs
  • Get In Touch
  • Shop

Contact

(425) 477 9176

info@sayostudio.com

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Resources

  • Science Image Pricing & Licensing Rights

Newsletter Sign-up

RSS Recent Blog Posts

  • Visualizing Climate Change
  • Science Communication Podcast
  • Aftermath of Wildfires: Visualizing Landslide Risk
  • A Cosmic Science Comic Comes Alive
  • Science Communication Tips to Attract Investors for Funding of Science

Copyright © 2025 SayoStudio · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
wpDiscuz
  • Login
  • Sign Up
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.
body::-webkit-scrollbar { width: 7px; } body::-webkit-scrollbar-track { border-radius: 10px; background: #f0f0f0; } body::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb { border-radius: 50px; background: #dfdbdb }