MEAT BALL shaped molecules studded with molecular bait could mop up viruses
before they get a chance to attack cells. Such “nanodecoys” could filter out
biological weapons in gas masks or even intercept viral invaders when injected
into people, the meeting heard.
To infect cells, viruses must first attach to their surfaces by targeting
specific receptor molecules. So if you create decoys laden with these receptors,
you could mop up viruses—and some bacteria—before they reach
cells.
In the past, researchers have tried to make decoys with long chain-like
molecules. But controlling the length of these molecules has proved…
