Dasia Taylor, a remarkable teenager who gained national attention for inventing color-changing surgical sutures that can detect infection!
Who is Dasia Taylor?
- Age: 17 years old at the time of her invention (around 2020–2021).
- From: Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
- Background: High school student with a deep interest in science, especially medical technology and public health.
Her Invention: Color-Changing Sutures
- Dasia developed surgical sutures that change color when a wound becomes infected.
- She used natural beet juice, which changes from bright red to dark purple in response to pH changes—an indicator of infection.
- Normal skin has a pH around 5, but infected wounds can rise to a pH of 9 or higher.
Why It Matters
- Designed especially with developing countries in mind, where access to high-tech infection detection tools may be limited.
- Her solution is affordable, accessible, and chemical-free, making it revolutionary for global health care.
Recognition & Impact
- Finalist in the Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of the most prestigious science and math competitions for high school students in the U.S.
- Featured in major media outlets like Smithsonian Magazine, Forbes, and Good Morning America.
- Her work has sparked interest from the scientific and medical communities.
Dasia’s Message:
“My goal has always been to help people. And with this project, I was able to do just that.”