17-year-old was experimenting in grandpa’s winery lab—he created ground-breaking solution to stop life-threatening bleeding
There are rare stories about heroes who create for the sake of others. Inventors who work their magic and experiment to make a difference. Joe Landolina is one of them. At the ripe age of 17, the young man was experimenting in his grandfather’s winery lab and came up with an astonishing solution, FOX News reported. Designed to be simple, effective and life-changing, the treatment became a popular one in stopping bleeding quickly. With the number of instances of life-threatening bleeding that people experience, this invention has become a lifesaver.
Around 35% prehospital deaths take place because the patient bled out after being injured. According to a study published by Science Direct, out of 1051 patients, 176 of them lost their lives due to bleeding. In a video shared by TED, Landolina shared how concerning the problem is. He shared the example of a soldier on a battlefield who is shot and severs his femoral artery. “Now, this bleed is extremely traumatic and can kill you in less than three minutes,” Landolina explained, adding that it would take a medic at least a few minutes to arrive on the spot and put a compression or some kind of first aid to stop the bleeding.
For years, no medication would work quickly to stop bleeding while working for the body. That’s what Landolina is proud to contribute to the world — a ground-breaking treatment. Sharing how he discovered the life-saving invention, he recalled his retired chemist grandfather’s winery. “I developed a strong love for chemistry, especially plant-based chemistries from ingredients found in nature around me,” he shared. The then 17-year-old was testing things in the lab and stumbled upon something valuable. “I was experimenting with polymers extracted from the cell walls of algae and discovered a matrix that would instantly bond to living tissue,” he explained.
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The teenager displayed his work at New York University’s business plan competition and from there came Cresilon, a biotechnology company, headed by Landolina himself. He worked for four years to create “TRAUMAGEL,” an exceptional medication in the form of a syringe to be administered on the spot to individuals bleeding. It works within seconds to stop bleeding while beginning the healing process. One can only imagine how much time it gives victims and medics to get to proper treatment. Today, TRAUMAGEL is being used by different organizations, including the military and fire departments.
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Lt. David Kleiman of Cobb County Fire & Emergency Services applauded the invention. He said, "TRAUMAGEL has impacted how we respond to traumatic injuries in any situation.” He explained how traditional methods like "wound packing" or pressure application would take up time during emergencies. "With TRAUMAGEL, we can administer a hemostatic agent that controls bleeding in seconds. Crews can move on to quicker assessments and treatments and get the patient to definitive care faster,” he remarked. In a video shared on Instagram, the story of a Cobb County firefighter was shared.
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The man cut himself on glass while on duty and though he tried to stop the bleeding, it didn’t work. "The crew noted that he was pale and sweaty and that his turnout gear was saturated in blood. They administered TRAUMAGEL. It instantly stopped the bleeding,” Kleiman said. Started as an experiment by a teenager, the game-changing invention has bagged a nomination at the Prix Galien USA 2025 for Best Medical Technology.