Researched from the University of California, San Diego, nanoengineer Liangfang Zhang, and his team of researchers have figured out a way to safely remove dangerous toxins from the bloodstream; toxins such as MRSA E. coli, and many others. The discovery: an 85 nanometer long nanosponge! Thousands made from a single red blood cell, these sponges have only been tested on mice, but seem to be quite the medical finding.

Specifically, they can terminate “pore-forming toxins” by making holes within the cell membrane. They can also absorb various pore-forming toxins without having to worry about the specificity of concentrating on a single toxin at a time. The researcher, Zhang, as stated, “we are developing a platform that can neutralize toxins caused by a wide range of pathogens, including MRSA and other antibiotic resistance.”

With the study of the nanosponge removing the toxin Alpha-Haemolysin from MRSA, a whopping 89 percent of mice survived a lethal dosage. This completed one of their main reasons of creating the sponge. The trick for the nanosponge’s success is the fact that they resemble the same red-blood cells that they are created from. The sponges are used as traps to collect toxins and divert them away from their targets. And the best part is, there is no difficult way of removing them! After the collection of the toxins, the liver digests the sponge and the pollutants, if you will, without any damage to your body.

Multiple researchers believe that clinical trials for humans should begin soon, and I would have to agree.