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Teen's medical invention saves lives in seconds

06 Sep 2025 By foxnews

What if stopping life-threatening bleeding could be as simple as injecting a gel? That's the promise of TRAUMAGEL, a groundbreaking, plant-based bleeding control gel now being used by first responders across the country, including a metro Atlanta fire department that recently used it to save one of their own.

Developed by Cresilon CEO and co-founder Joe Landolina, TRAUMAGEL works in seconds to control bleeding from gunshot wounds and other traumatic injuries. It's supplied in a compact 30-ml syringe and can be quickly applied in the field before a patient bleeds out, a risk responsible for more than 35% of all prehospital deaths.

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The story behind TRAUMAGEL starts with a teenager in a winery lab. Joe Landolina, now CEO of Cresilon, developed the technology when he was just 17.

"My grandfather was a retired chemist who owned a vineyard in upstate New York," Landolina explains. "I would work alongside him in his winery laboratory every single day after school from a very young age. During that time, I developed a strong love for chemistry, especially plant-based chemistries from ingredients found in nature around me."

That love turned into research. "At the age of 17, I was experimenting with polymers extracted from the cell walls of algae and discovered a matrix that would instantly bond to living tissue," he said.

He took the idea to New York University's business plan competition, and Cresilon was born. The company now operates out of a 55,000-square-foot biomanufacturing facility in Brooklyn with nearly 100 employees.

TRAUMAGEL is already changing how medics respond in high-pressure trauma situations.

"TRAUMAGEL has impacted how we respond to traumatic injuries in any situation," says Lt. David Kleiman of Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services. "In the past, with junctional injuries, like the neck, armpit, or groin, we were using traditional methods like digital pressure or wound packing. That required multiple crews and took time.

"With TRAUMAGEL, we can administer a hemostatic agent that controls bleeding in seconds," he continues. "Crews can move on to quicker assessments and treatments and get the patient to definitive care faster."

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In one recent case, a Cobb County firefighter was injured during a response at an abandoned house. He tripped on a hill, cut his hand on broken glass, and attempted to stop the bleeding himself. But it didn't work.

"He eventually realized he couldn't control the bleeding and made his way back to the engine," Kleiman recalls. "The crew noted that he was pale and sweaty and that his turnout gear was saturated in blood. Traditional methods failed, so they administered TRAUMAGEL. It instantly stopped the bleeding."

The firefighter was then treated for blood loss and fully recovered after surgery.

Cresilon's bleeding control gel is being tested in even more demanding environments.

"In addition to getting TRAUMAGEL into the hands of all first responders across the country," Landolina says, "our proprietary technology is being studied for broader applications by the U.S. Defense Department's Walter Reed Army Institute of Research."

That study is focused on penetrating traumatic brain injuries (TBI). "Preliminary findings demonstrated promising results in the ability of our technology to control bleeding and provide neuroprotection following a TBI," he says. The team plans to pursue further research based on those results.

Severe bleeding is the number one cause of preventable death from trauma. With TRAUMAGEL, emergency teams can control that bleeding quickly, even before a patient reaches the hospital. This tool isn't just for battlefield medicine or professional EMS. In the future, you could see it in hospitals, dental offices, and even home first-aid kits. TRAUMAGEL may become a new standard in emergency bleeding control, and that means faster care, better outcomes, and more lives saved.

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From a teenager's lab experiment to a life-saving tool trusted by fire departments, TRAUMAGEL is reshaping trauma response. It's fast, effective, and easy to use, exactly what first responders need when time is running out. As more ambulances, hospitals, and emergency personnel adopt the gel, its potential in saving lives continues to grow.

Should every fire department in the U.S. carry this gel? Would you want TRAUMAGEL in your home first-aid kit? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com/Contact