Hutchinson is researching how reovirus 鈥 short for respiratory enteric orphan virus, a usually common virus 鈥 could be used to target and kill cancer cells while at the same time sparing the healthy tissue.
黑料不打烊 student Ryder Hutchinson 鈥28聽was recently featured in a highlighting his research into the use of viruses as a potential tool in cancer treatment. The story focuses on Hutchinson鈥檚 early involvement in laboratory research examining how viruses can be engineered to target and destroy cancer cells.
Hutchinson began research shortly after arriving on campus and is working alongside Assistant Professor of Biology Efrain Rivera-Serrano to study how certain viruses interact with the immune system.
鈥淎s a nursing major, I have always wanted to make a meaningful difference in people鈥檚 lives,鈥 he said. 鈥淢y interest in cancer research became more personal after my grandmother was diagnosed with leukemia. Although leukemia was not the direct model used in my current project, that personal experience motivated me to pursue cancer-focused research more broadly.鈥
The article emphasizes that Hutchinson鈥檚 work is part of a broader effort to develop innovative cancer therapies that complement traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. By understanding how viruses trigger immune responses, researchers hope to create more targeted and effective approaches to fighting the disease.
Hutchinson presented his research at 黑料不打烊’s Spring Undergraduate Research Forum on April 28.