The main goal of my research is to elucidate whether histone-modifying enzymes represent novel targets of p53, and to explore their contribution to tumorigenesis. The p53 tumor suppressor protein plays a critical role in orchestrating the genomic response to various stresses and, upon activation, it impacts the transcription of several hundreds genes to regulate key cellular processes including cell cycle, DNA repair, apoptosis, senescence, autophagy and metabolism. Although differential gene activity is mainly controlled by transcription factors, it is also dependent upon the underlying chromatin structure, which can regulate DNA accessibility, ultimately determining an on/off transcriptional status. Of particular interest is to understand how histone demethylases and methyltransferases modulate the amplitude of p53 response after DNA damage, and to gain new insights on the regulatory effect exerted by histone-modifying enzymes on tumor growth through the modulation of p53 target genes.