We know viruses as dangerous obligate parasites, capable of causing pandemics and human deaths. However, some viruses possess natural or genetically introduced oncolytic properties, allowing them to selectively kill cancer cells. A few oncolytic viruses are already on the market, and many others are currently undergoing clinical trials. In this text, we will discuss the general principles governing viral specificity toward their hosts and the mechanisms underlying their oncolytic potential. I will also explain how such viral vectors are developed at the laboratory scale and explore the future directions of oncolytic virus therapy.

Dr hab. Andrea Lipińska is a virologist at the Department of Virus Molecular Biology, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology, where a strong scientific virology center resides. She specializes in virus interactions with the immune system, genetic modifications of viruses, and protein degradation. She is also the Head of the BSL-3+ Laboratory, one of the most modern of this kind in Poland.