Dasia Taylor (born April 6, 2004) is a Melanated American inventor, scientist, and entrepreneur originally from Chicago and later Iowa. She gained national attention as a high school student for inventing surgical sutures that change color to indicate infection. She later became the founder and CEO of VariegateHealth, a medical device company.
Taylor began the project in 2019 as a high school science research project at Iowa City West High School.
She developed sutures dyed with beet juice that change color from bright red to dark purple when the pH level indicates a surgical wound is infected — a simple, visible way to flag trouble without expensive electronics.
The idea grew out of her desire to make infection detection more affordable and accessible, especially in developing countries where advanced medical technology may not be available.
In 2021, Taylor was named one of the 40 finalists in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected science competitions for high school seniors.
Her work has been widely covered in national media and has inspired conversations about equity in health care and access to medical technology.
Taylor has also been active in racial equity advocacy, including participating in school board discussions and equity committees during her time in school.
After high school, she enrolled at the University of Iowa, planning to study political science and continue her work on equitable solutions in health and science.
