Valery Grdzelishvili

Valery Z. Grdzelishvili, Ph.D.

Professor, Molecular Virology and Cancer Therapy

RESEARCH INTERESTS: molecular virology, cancer biology, anticancer therapy based on replication-competent viruses (“oncolytic virotherapy”), virus-host interactions in normal and cancer cells, host factors of virus replication in normal and cancer cells, innate immunity in normal and cancer cells, virus-based gene therapy and vaccine vectors

           Grdzelishvili Lab Twitter: https://twitter.com/Virology_Lab
Dr. Grdzelishvili’s publications at PubMed
             Dr. Grdzelishvili’s Google Scholar Profile
Academic Degrees

Professional Experience

Research Interests

Dr. Grdzelishvili’s laboratory is focused on molecular biology and applications of nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA viruses (order Mononegavirales). The major focus is the exploitation of existing and engineering new NNS RNA viruses [vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in particular] as clinically important anticancer (“oncolytic”) agents. We are particularly interested in the identification and characterization of cellular and viral determinants of susceptibility or resistance of pancreatic cancer cells to VSV and other oncolytic viruses. Other projects are focused on mechanistic understanding of viral replication cycle of NNS RNA viruses, which is fundamental to developing reagents to prevent and combat viral diseases. The order Mononegavirales includes many important human and animal pathogens, such as rabies, measles, Ebola, Marburg, Nipah, Hendra, and other viruses.

Grdzelishvili’s Lab (October 2019, left to right): Valery Grdzelishvili, Abdul Hajjar, Isha Wilson, Sara Seegers, Dakota Goad, Britanie Blackhurst, Molly Penton

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Grdzelishvili’s Lab (October 2019, left to right): Abdul Hajjar, Sara Seegers, Dakota Goad, Molly Penton, Isha Wilson, Britanie Blackhurst, Valery Grdzelishvili

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ONCOLYTIC VIROTHERAPY OVERVIEW

(the illustration was created by Dr. Eric Hastie and is from Hastie and Grdzelishvili 2012 “Vesicular stomatitis virus as a flexible platform for oncolytic virotherapy against cancer” Journal of General Virology, 93:2529-45) 

Microsoft Word - 17333195-file00.docx

Scheme of VSV-based OV therapy. (a) Reverse genetics allows generation of a recombinant VSV encoding a foreign gene of interest between the VSV G and L genes. The asterisk above M indicates M protein mutation(s) resulting in VSV attenuation in normal cells. Plasmids encoding VSV replication machinery and the modified genome are co-transfected into a cell line, and complete virions are produced and amplified using good manufacturing practices. (b) For evaluation of oncolytic efficacy, VSV can be administered directly, via cell-based delivery, or in combination with other treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy or other OVs). (c) In infected cells, VSV recombinants may express a foreign gene that facilitates killing of the adjacent uninfected cancer cells (e.g. suicide-gene approach or immunostimulation). Innate antiviral responses and other mechanisms prevent cell death in normal cells. Ideally, stimulation of innate and adaptive immune cells by VSV and/or the foreign gene product should lead to tumour-specific immune responses, including memory responses that prevent cancer recurrence.

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