Lev Stepanovich Sandakchiev (; 11 January 1937, Rostov-on-Don – 29 June 2006, Koltsovo) was a Soviet and Russian scientist, specialist in molecular biology and virology, Doctor of biology, Professor, and Academician of Russian Academy of Sciences. He was the founder and the first head of State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology VECTOR, director of it from 1982 to 2005.