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National Science Foundation-supported engineer Liangfang Zhang has created a nanosponge to combat drug-resistant infections like those caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The nanosponge is made from biocompatible, biodegradable polymer nanoparticles and is camouflaged with a red blood cell membrane.
One red blood cell membrane can be used to cloak more than 3,000 nanosponges. In this still from an animation, nanoparticles cloaked in red blood cells circulate through the bloodstream and absorb toxins -- anything from bacteria to snake and insect venom. They are designed to work with any type of infection or poison that attacks the cellular membrane. Once the nanosponges are fully loaded with toxins, they are safely disposed of by the liver.Image credit: Jacobs School of Engineering, University of California, San Diego
