Viruses - the good, the bad, and the... oncolytic?
- We commonly associate viruses with disease, but did you know that some viruses can also be used for therapy?
- Oncolytic viruses are viruses that replicate efficiently in cancer cells but not in normal cells. Such viruses offer tremendous potential for cancer therapy.
- We seek to understand fundamental aspects of oncolytic viruses...
- Why do they replicate in cancer cells but not normal cells?
- How can we tweak viral proteins to promote cancer cell killing?
- Why are some cancer cells more susceptible to oncolytic viruses than others?
- We strive to apply our understanding towards improving the use of viruses as cancer therapeutics.
- We anticipate that within 20 years, therapeutic viruses will be viable health solutions. We believe that understanding and optimizing oncolytic viruses now, will ensure the success of virotherapy in the near future.
Where Are We?
We are located in the Heritage Medical Research Center at the University of Alberta, in Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA.