New York University student Joe Landolina created Veti-gel from plant polymers that mimic the human extracellular matrix, a substance produced by the body that sets off the process of blood clot formation.

Joe Landolina may not be the next Mark Zuckerberg, but he might have found his billion-dollar idea. And unlike Zuckerberg, Landolina could save millions of lives before he’s old enough to drink.

Landolina, a 20-year-old junior at New York University, created a gel from plant polymers that mimics the human extracellular matrix, a substance produced by the body that sets off the process of blood clot formation. He calls it Veti-Gel.

When applied to an open wound, Veti-Gel bonds to the surrounding flesh, forming a tight seal. Not only does the gel initiate the blood clotting process, it also speeds healing.

Landolina says he’s been able to instantly halt bleeding in mice with sliced livers and punctured carotid arteries during lab tests. He’s even posted a rather gruesome YouTube video (featuring a pork loin-ectomy) to prove it.

“I have seen [Veti-Gel] close any size wound that it is applied to,” Landolina told TechNewsDaily. “As long as you can cover it, it can close it.”

Landolina and fellow New York University undergraduate Isaac Miller have founded a company called Suneris, Inc. as a vehicle to bring Veti-Gel to market.