Sticky Nanobeads Can Strip Bacteria, Viruses From Blood

A new device uses magnetism to rid the bloodstream of pathogens that are the source of deadly infections. Bioengineers at Harvard's Wyss Institute have developed a blood filter that quickly grabs toxins, such as E.coli or Ebola, from the bloodstream using protein-coated nanobeads and magnets. In early tests, the biomechanical treatment removed more than 90 percent of toxins from infected human blood within a few hours. Cleansing the Blood When our immune system fights an infection, the