Dasia Taylor is a young woman who began to define her career in STEM just shy of her senior graduation. Back in 2019, Dasia spent months developing a “novel suture additive” to help doctors and patients detect infection sooner. As she perfected the sutures, Dasia’s invention catapulted her across several regional and national competitions. In 2020, she landed among the top 40 finalists of the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest, most notable science competition. The next stop on her journey is obtaining a patent for her novel work.

So, How Did She Do It? 

Dasia spent several months testing her sutures in beet juice. She noted that the liquid would change from bright red to dark purple, indicating a change in patient pH and likely an infection.  

But, why beet juice?  

There have been recent efforts to produce biotech sutures with a similar purpose. But with features like pairing up to smartphones, these high-tech sutures would be intricate and costly to produce. Beets are naturally more accessible and cost-effective. 

Considering healthcare needs on a global scale, biotech sutures that connect to smartphones would likely be a challenge for most people to obtain. 

With infections developing at much higher rates in countries outside of the U.S., Dasia’s invention can bring the benefits of high-tech sutures to a much wider range of people. In doing so, countless lives and billions of dollars can be saved annually by using Dasia’s beet juice and cotton blend sutures. 

All Of This at 17? What’s Next?

Since her debut in the science world, Dasia has created a local kids' science program in her home state of Iowa, inspiring younger generations of problem solvers. Growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood and navigating a predominantly white field have empowered Dasia to continue to be seen and heard. Along the way, she carefully weaves important narratives about Black history and culture into local spaces and dialogues. In her quest for knowledge, she informs others through thoughtful work and storytelling. 

In her preliminary studies, Dasia’s passion for accessible healthcare was born from her concern for the life-threatening socioeconomic and healthcare challenges facing women throughout Africa, in particular. Naturally, her equitable nature is intended to improve healthcare globally, for all people.   

Education and equitability are at the heart of her passionate strides toward accessible healthcare for those who need it most. Dasia is nothing short of phenomenal, as she works toward getting a patent, she continues to bring her community along with her. We look forward to seeing more of Dasia Taylor’s journey as she breaks barriers in STEM.