The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota and research partner of Mayo Clinic, has announced executive director Zigang Dong was awarded $495,210 for a two-year skin cancer research project. Skin cancer is the No. 1-occurring cancer in the United States.

“I am very pleased to receive this grant so more research can be done on the cancer that affects so many,” Dong said. “More people suffer from sun induced cancer than any other type. The more research funding we have, such as through this federal grant, the more scientists can be hired so progress can be made even faster. This grant is aimed to find the cause of skin cancer and also prevention methods.”

The funding for research was designated  in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), a federal public law passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama on Feb. 17.

The Hormel Institute comprises a group of highly successful medical scientists who have focused their efforts on determining the basic molecular mechanisms of cancer development in order to use their findings for the development of new anti-cancer agents.

Created in 1942, The Hormel Institute employs some of the world’s leading scientists. Milestone discoveries include the coining of the terms omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids as well as the anti-cancer activities found in non-toxic compounds of foods like ginger and green tea.