Viral Engineering for Cancer Therapy with Oncoselective Regulation (VECTOR)

Gene therapies hold immense potential, yet their safety is limited by off-target expression and insufficient control over therapeutic gene regulation. This project aims to engineer a tumour-selective, autoregulatory expression vector integrating promoter specificity with feedback self-limitation. By combining molecular biology, chemical engineering, and computational modelling, the research will develop a modular system that activates therapeutic genes only within malignant cells and autonomously suppresses excessive expression. Tumour-associated promoters will be evaluated for selectivity, and feedback motifs will be incorporated to achieve dynamic control. The outcome will be a proof-of-concept platform capable of precise, self-regulated activity in tumour-like environments, enabling safer and more predictable gene therapy. This work lays the foundation for next-generation vectors with improved therapeutic precision and biosafety.