A Microscopic Discovery With Massive Implications: Two Physicians Uncover a New Biological Defense Against Microplastics
SARASOTA, Fla., Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Quorum Innovations, a biotechnology company founded by physician-scientists Nicholas T. Monsul, MD, and Eva Ann Berkes, MD, today announced growing scientific, medical, and public-policy momentum behind a breakthrough microbiome discovery designed to help defend the human body against micro- and nanoplastics.
As scientists increasingly describe modern life as the Plasticene Era, concern is mounting over plastics now found in blood, placentas, lungs, and brain tissue. Quorum's work—featured in the newly published book From Miracles to Menace: How Plastics Rewrote Human History—centers on what two doctors observed under the microscope: a naturally inspired protective biofilm capable of intercepting plastics before they enter human tissue.
In laboratory testing, this biofilm demonstrated the ability to bind and expel up to 98% of microplastics from the digestive system, offering a new biological strategy for addressing everyday plastic exposure from food, water, and air. Rather than relying on drugs or chemicals, the approach works by reinforcing the body's natural barrier defenses.
The science behind the discovery was originally developed through two research awards from the U.S. Department of Defense's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Drs. Monsul and Berkes were tasked with developing microbial protective barriers to shield warfighters and first responders from chemical and biological threats. The same barrier principle—preventing harmful particles from crossing into the body—now shows promise as a civilian application for plastic exposure.
Dr. Monsul trained at Yale University School of Medicine and completed fellowship training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he later served on faculty. Dr. Berkes completed her medical training at the University of Florida and advanced research training at The Scripps Research Institute, with a focus on immunology and inflammatory disease. Together, they have spent more than a decade researching microbiome behavior and biofilm-based protection.
Quorum's scientific progress coincides with rising legislative attention to plastics and human health, including the proposed Microplastics Safety Act (H.R. 4486) and broader Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) public-health initiatives. The company holds over 50 issued patents worldwide, with additional patents pending, establishing a strong intellectual-property foundation for biofilm-based barrier protection.
"Plastics are no longer just an environmental problem—they're a human one," said Dr. Berkes. "They're in our food, our air, and increasingly, our bodies. This biofilm represents a biologically inspired shield built from mechanisms nature already gave us." Quorum Innovations welcomes engagement from journalists, policymakers, and scientific leaders seeking credible, science-driven solutions to one of the defining health challenges of our time.
Pamela McCoy Media Relations Quorum Innovations
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