Scientist, Founder & CEO, Dasia Taylor, has gained global attention for a simple but potentially life-saving medical breakthrough: surgical sutures that change colour when a wound becomes infected.
Taylor developed the idea while still in high school in Iowa City (USA), aiming to tackle the persistent problem of undetected post-surgical infections—particularly in low-resource settings. Her invention uses a natural dye derived from beetroots to coat suture threads, allowing them to act as a visual infection indicator.
The science behind the innovation is rooted in pH chemistry. Healthy skin is slightly acidic, but when a wound becomes infected, its pH rises. Taylor’s sutures respond to this shift, changing colour from bright red to a darker purple, signalling that medical attention may be needed.
Unlike more advanced “smart sutures” that rely on embedded electronics, Taylor’s approach is deliberately low-cost and accessible, designed for environments where medical monitoring technology is limited. Her early work earned national recognition, including a finalist spot in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search.
Beyond the science, the innovation is also rooted in equity. Taylor has highlighted how traditional signs of infection—such as redness—can be harder to detect on darker skin tones, making early diagnosis more challenging for some patients.
While still in development, the colour-changing sutures point to a future where medical devices are not only smarter, but also more inclusive and accessible—turning a basic surgical tool into a real-time diagnostic aid.
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