Scientists have developed a 'designer' virus that will help to combat cancer. Usually, cancer cells grow and multiply in the body without facing much resistance as they provoke very less or limited reaction by the body's immune system. Contrary to this, a viral infection sends alarm signals and gears up the immune system to fight the foreign body or virus.

Researchers at the University of Geneva and the University of Basel in Switzerland have created innovative designer viruses that will release alarm signals similar to that given out during viral infections. A protein which is found only in cancer cells was integrated into the virus by the researchers.

Researchers conducted a study on mice and found that designer viruses enabled the immune system to recognize these cancer proteins as dangerous. Thus, in humans, this designer virus will help the immune system to target the cancer cells and release killer cells to fight the tumor-causing cells.

Researcher Doron Merkler of the University of Geneva said that he and his team hopes that their new findings and technologies will soon be used in cancer treatments and so help to further increase their success rates.