An ASU researcher is working on a virus that's harmless to humans, but kills cancer cells

[Disir]

Grant McFadden has spent over two decades studying the myxoma virus.

The ASU virologist grew interested in the myxoma virus because it is extremely deadly in European rabbits but virtually harmless in non-rabbit hosts — including humans. He wanted to figure out why.

So, he began testing its ability to infect lab-grown cells.

Along the way, he made a startling discovery.

"We accidentally stumbled upon the fact that if we take this virus and put it onto cancer cells … the virus treated them just like rabbit cells, it infected them, killed them, in a way that was really quite dramatic," McFadden said.

With those results, the idea to use the virus as a cancer treatment was born.

An ASU researcher is working on a virus that's harmless to humans, but kills cancer cells

When ASU researcher Grant McFadden injected this virus into mice with brain cancer, 100% of the mice were cured.

www.azcentral.com

Two and a half years until the first human trials but that is pretty damn exciting.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Grant McFadden has spent over two decades studying the myxoma virus.

The ASU virologist grew interested in the myxoma virus because it is extremely deadly in European rabbits but virtually harmless in non-rabbit hosts — including humans. He wanted to figure out why.

So, he began testing its ability to infect lab-grown cells.

Along the way, he made a startling discovery.

"We accidentally stumbled upon the fact that if we take this virus and put it onto cancer cells … the virus treated them just like rabbit cells, it infected them, killed them, in a way that was really quite dramatic," McFadden said.

With those results, the idea to use the virus as a cancer treatment was born.

An ASU researcher is working on a virus that's harmless to humans, but kills cancer cells

When ASU researcher Grant McFadden injected this virus into mice with brain cancer, 100% of the mice were cured.

www.azcentral.com

Two and a half years until the first human trials but that is pretty damn exciting.

Well, this is interesting but I have to point out that this is exactly how the movie "I Am Legend" started out. And then we all became flesh eating zombies.
But you bring up an interesting question with this article. Why has it taken so long to find a cure for cancer after all the press coverage and the millions of dollars being poured into research?
It looks like to me, it's a crapshoot. The answer is complicated. And it looks like not easily solved.
A Cure for Cancer: What's Taking So Long?
How Close Are We to a Lifelong Cure for Cancer?

 

[Mikeoxenormous]

Grant McFadden has spent over two decades studying the myxoma virus.

The ASU virologist grew interested in the myxoma virus because it is extremely deadly in European rabbits but virtually harmless in non-rabbit hosts — including humans. He wanted to figure out why.

So, he began testing its ability to infect lab-grown cells.

Along the way, he made a startling discovery.

"We accidentally stumbled upon the fact that if we take this virus and put it onto cancer cells … the virus treated them just like rabbit cells, it infected them, killed them, in a way that was really quite dramatic," McFadden said.

With those results, the idea to use the virus as a cancer treatment was born.

An ASU researcher is working on a virus that's harmless to humans, but kills cancer cells

When ASU researcher Grant McFadden injected this virus into mice with brain cancer, 100% of the mice were cured.

www.azcentral.com

Two and a half years until the first human trials but that is pretty damn exciting.

I heard that China was working on the same thing in a laboratory in Wuhan.....What are cancer cells, other than your own cells gone rogue. If they kill rogue cells, what is to prevent it from killing normal cells? I have a bad feeling about this...