Company invests in S&T professor’s invention to stop bleeding 

Posted by
On June 10, 2024

Dr. Mark Towler in his laboratory in S&T’s Bertlesmeyer Hall. Photo by Greg Edwards.

Dr. Mark Towler in his laboratory in S&T’s Bertlesmeyer Hall. Photo by Greg Edwards.

Dr. Mark Towler envisions a world in which members of the United States military and others facing perilous situations will have immediate access to a glass powder he invented that can control bleeding and save lives.  
 
Based off the recent progress with his invention, Missouri S&T’s Doshi Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering says he is hopeful this vision will soon become a reality.  
 
DesiCorp, a Kentucky-based biotechnology company, has licensed Towler’s recently granted patent for the glass and is now providing him with funding to drive it toward commercialization.   
 
“This glass powder can quickly stop bleeding in a safer and more effective manner than current methods used in emergency situations,” Towler says. “It is formulated to quickly clot blood and eventually degrade in the body. The benefits should be significant for people with traumatic injuries.”  
 
He says that the next step to getting it in the hands of the people who need it most will be developing methods to streamline its production so larger quantities can be made more quickly.     
 
Dr. Brett Janis, DesiCorp’s CEO, says he appreciates that Towler is continuing his relationship with the company, and he is excited to have Missouri S&T on board as a partner as well.  
 
“Mark and his team are leaders in their field and excellent collaborators,” he says. “Their technology has incredible potential to save the lives of warfighters, emergency responders and patients around the world who do not have immediate access to advanced medical care. 
 
“By working together, we plan to demonstrate that Mark’s hemostatic agent is safe and effective as quickly as possible.”  

This summer, Towler will also spend time working at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa as part of the University of Missouri’s South African Education Program to research if the materials that release into surrounding tissue as the glass powder dissolves have antibacterial properties that could help stave off infections.  

For more information about Missouri S&T’s chemical and biochemical engineering programs, visit chbe.mst.edu

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students located in Rolla, Missouri. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System, Missouri S&T offers over 100 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top public universities for salary impact, according to the Wall Street Journal. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu

Share this page

mm
Posted by

On June 10, 2024.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *