Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Researchers are working on a new way to treat breast cancer using special viruses called oncolytic viruses, which are designed to attack and kill cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. One such virus, the Vaccinia virus, comes in different strains that have varying effects. The Tian Tan (TT) strain is very effective at killing cancer cells, but it can sometimes grow in healthy tissues and cause side effects in patients with weaker immune systems. On the other hand, the Vaccinia Virus Ankara (MVA) strain is much safer, as it doesn't affect healthy tissues and helps boost the immune system's response against cancer. However, MVA is not as strong at killing cancer cells as the TT strain. To overcome these challenges, we aim to create a new type of virus by combining the strengths of both the TT and MVA strains. We will use advanced genetic tools, like CRISPR-Cas9, to modify the virus and test how well it works against triple-negative breast cancer, a very aggressive type of breast cancer. Our goal is to develop a virus that is both highly effective at killing cancer cells and safe for patients by avoiding damage to healthy tissues.