She’s Saving Lives, One Stitch at a Time!

Seventeen-year-old innovator Dasia Taylor is proving that brilliance and compassion can go hand in hand. The Iowa City West High School senior was named a Regeneron Science Talent Scholar for developing color-changing surgical sutures that can detect infections before they become life-threatening (The Gazette).

Taylor’s journey began not in a lab, but in her own home. A few years ago, she received a suture kit for Christmas, which first sparked her fascination with medicine and surgery. “I thought I wanted to be a surgeon,” she told reporters, “so I just started practicing stitches at home.” What started as a hobby soon evolved into a groundbreaking scientific project — one that could transform medical care in underserved communities around the world.

During her first independent research experience outside traditional classroom learning, Taylor set out to design sutures that would change color when a wound becomes infected. The science behind her idea was simple but ingenious: when an infection occurs, the pH level of skin tissue increases. Normal skin has a pH of around 5, but infected tissue can reach levels as high as 9 (Smithsonian Magazine). Taylor theorized that if she could develop sutures sensitive to pH changes, doctors could easily identify infections early — especially in regions with limited access to advanced medical technology.

To make her concept a reality, she conducted over a year of research, experimenting with various natural dyes, including beet juice, which contains anthocyanin — a compound that shifts color based on pH level. When the wound was healthy, the sutures remained bright red; when infection set in, they turned deep purple. “Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, just go with it,” Taylor said with a laugh. “I stand by the idea that I stumbled into STEM by way of intellectual curiosity. Be curious, because that will afford you so many opportunities” (Good Morning America).

Her persistence paid off. Taylor entered her project into the 80th annual Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of the most prestigious high school science competitions in the United States. Out of 1,760 applicants nationwide, she was named among the top 300 scholars — an achievement that puts her in the company of the nation’s brightest young minds (Society for Science).

But beyond the accolades, Taylor’s work carries deep personal and social meaning. She first presented her invention at the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium in 2020, where she quickly noticed she was the only Black student in the room. “Being in that space, knowing stereotypes were flying, and being able to prove them wrong — and win first place — was phenomenal,” she told The Gazette. “My mom and I talk about it all the time. I often find myself in white-dominated spaces. That’s definitely one for the books.”

With strong support from her teachers and mentors, Taylor refined her project, carefully cultivating bacteria samples provided by her high school’s science department. Her ultimate goal? To make her invention accessible for use in developing countries, where infections after surgery can be fatal due to a lack of early detection tools. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 11% of surgical wounds in low- and middle-income countries become infected — a statistic that inspired Taylor to think globally. “If these sutures can identify infections faster, they can help doctors start antibiotics earlier and save lives,” she explained (Smithsonian Magazine).

As she prepares for the final stage of the Regeneron competition — where 40 finalists will compete for the grand prize of $250,000 — Taylor continues to embody the curiosity and perseverance that define great innovators. “I’m a firm believer that you don’t have to be confined to a box and just stay in one subject area,” she said. “You can bounce around. If you’re interested in it, go for it.”

Her story is not just about science — it’s about representation, resilience, and reimagining what’s possible when young women of color are given the tools and encouragement to lead in STEM.

Congratulations, Dasia Taylor — your brilliance is stitching together a brighter, healthier future for us all.