WEBVTT - Surgical Site Infections in Developing Countries Can be Solved

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<v Speaker 1>Pushkin. This is solvable on Jacob Weisberg, I learned not

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<v Speaker 1>to deal in limitation, not to deal in obstacles, but

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<v Speaker 1>rather to deal in possibility. Out of nearly two thousand

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<v Speaker 1>high school students, Desia Taylor was recently named one of

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<v Speaker 1>the forty finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Scholar Program.

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<v Speaker 1>She was awarded twenty five thousand dollars for her work

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<v Speaker 1>with beet dyed suitures to detect surgical site infections. I

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<v Speaker 1>decided to create my project around the developing countries because

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<v Speaker 1>they are disproportionately affected by surgical site infections. Specifically, according

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<v Speaker 1>to the WHO, patients with surgical site infections are twice

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<v Speaker 1>as likely to spend time in an intensive care unit,

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<v Speaker 1>five times more likely to be readmitted after discharged, twice

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<v Speaker 1>as likely to die. Desia Taylor is seventeen years old.

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<v Speaker 1>She heard about those numbers and decided she could do

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<v Speaker 1>something about it. My name is Desia Taylor, and I

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<v Speaker 1>go to Iowa City West High School, and I think

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<v Speaker 1>the problem of surgical site infections and developing countries can

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<v Speaker 1>be solved. Tell me about your project. How does it work?

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<v Speaker 1>So our skin is naturally acidic, having a pH of

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<v Speaker 1>around five, but when our wounds are infected, that pH

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<v Speaker 1>increases to eight or higher. For my project, I decided

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<v Speaker 1>to create color changing sutures, and in order to make

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<v Speaker 1>them change color, I had to find a natural indicator,

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<v Speaker 1>which is something that changes color when the pH changes.

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<v Speaker 1>So I put two of these principles of science together

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<v Speaker 1>to create my color changing sutures, and the natural indicator

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<v Speaker 1>I found, surprise is beats. Beats will show you if

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<v Speaker 1>the pH level is indicating an infection after you've had stitches.

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<v Speaker 1>Then this is after surgery we're talking about, right, Yes,

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<v Speaker 1>So I would die this suture material in this beat,

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<v Speaker 1>die that I that I've configurated, and I would let

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<v Speaker 1>them dry, and then in order to test, since I

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<v Speaker 1>can't I can't test on humans, I use pH and

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<v Speaker 1>solutions that basically represent the different stages of healthy and infected.

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<v Speaker 1>So healthy was the pH of five and the pH

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<v Speaker 1>of nine is infected. So I would use the pH

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<v Speaker 1>solutions to drop some liquid on the set of sutures

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<v Speaker 1>that I created, and I would watch the color change happen.

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<v Speaker 1>And I noticed that the color change would only happen

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<v Speaker 1>with the pH of nine because beats only change color

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<v Speaker 1>at eight or higher. So when a person is finished

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<v Speaker 1>with surgery and they're stitched up with my stitches, and

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<v Speaker 1>this would only work for like superficial wounds, So things

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<v Speaker 1>that happened at the top of the skin, that area

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<v Speaker 1>would start to change color because it picks up on

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<v Speaker 1>that pH tracing, and then that lets everyone know that

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<v Speaker 1>the wound was affected. The infections after surgery or a

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<v Speaker 1>problem everywhere. It's a big problem in the United States too.

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<v Speaker 1>What about this is geared towards other countries rather than

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<v Speaker 1>the US. Well, I've decided to create my project around

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<v Speaker 1>the developing countries because they are disproportionately affected by surgical

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<v Speaker 1>site infections. Specifically, I read an article which was just

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<v Speaker 1>like on a car ride back from my grandparents' house,

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<v Speaker 1>where these scientists created color changing stitches that had all

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<v Speaker 1>of this fancy technology and they did more than just

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<v Speaker 1>like change color and whatnot. People could use their mobile

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<v Speaker 1>device to connect and electro mat like all this stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>like the things that I can't even explain to you.

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<v Speaker 1>And I said to myself, this is an equity issue

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<v Speaker 1>because people in developing countries won't be able to get

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<v Speaker 1>their hands on this technology because it's too expensive. I

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<v Speaker 1>set out to solve that problem so that they can't

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<v Speaker 1>get to developing countries, essentially the people that beat them.

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<v Speaker 1>I decided to create my project as where equity meets

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<v Speaker 1>science perspective, and I put that together and that's how

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<v Speaker 1>I created this invention for developing countries. Specific were there

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<v Speaker 1>things you did as a kid that got you interested

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<v Speaker 1>in performing surgery? And what would happen when you were suturing?

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<v Speaker 1>My mom and I still tease about this story to

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<v Speaker 1>this day, but I somehow wanted to become a surgeon

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<v Speaker 1>out of nowhere. And I was like, I'm gonna stitch

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<v Speaker 1>up my bear because like my bear had like blown

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<v Speaker 1>a couple of stites. Yeah, yeah, exactly, so you understand.

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<v Speaker 1>And I took the sewing kit and I just started

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<v Speaker 1>stitching it up. I note that as my as the

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<v Speaker 1>beginning of my project, the beginning of this research and

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<v Speaker 1>the evolution to today and being here with you all,

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<v Speaker 1>and that there I still have that there too. He's

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<v Speaker 1>doing all right? What is are there any next steps

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<v Speaker 1>with this project? Or is this kind of this was

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<v Speaker 1>for the prize and you're on to the next thing,

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<v Speaker 1>or do you think there may be some ways to

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<v Speaker 1>try it or implement it somewhere. My next steps include

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<v Speaker 1>patenting this project and then licensing so that I can

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<v Speaker 1>get these suitors to the people that need it. Well.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm sure it'll be the first of many patents. I

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<v Speaker 1>recently saw that Thomas Edison had had over a thousand,

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<v Speaker 1>so but I'm not sure. I think you may have

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<v Speaker 1>an earlier start than he did. I mean, women are

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<v Speaker 1>underrepresented in technology, African Americans that are underrepresented in medicine.

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<v Speaker 1>What are yours as someone just starting out graduating from

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<v Speaker 1>high school? Do you have insight into what the obstacles

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<v Speaker 1>are and you know, maybe some ideas like your future

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<v Speaker 1>idea about how to deal with that, how to solve

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<v Speaker 1>that problem. It's not the problem we're talking about solving today,

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<v Speaker 1>But you seem to be good at solving problems. I

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<v Speaker 1>consider myself to be good at solving problems. I know

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<v Speaker 1>that there are definitely so many obstacles for women, women

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<v Speaker 1>of color everywhere. Being seventeen, in the community that I

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<v Speaker 1>live in, I'm a I'm a black woman who quite

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<v Speaker 1>often finds herself in white spaces, white male dominant spaces,

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<v Speaker 1>and I learned not to deal in limitation, not to

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<v Speaker 1>deal in obstacles, but rather to deal in possibility. So

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<v Speaker 1>here I am with my project, with my equity social justice,

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<v Speaker 1>racial equity background. I'm really I'm not looking for obstacles

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<v Speaker 1>looking at obstacles. I'm really looking for the places where

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<v Speaker 1>I can make a difference in best serves as a

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<v Speaker 1>public servant. Essentially, it's great to see this kind of

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<v Speaker 1>leadership at your age. It's it's amazing Gaija and I

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<v Speaker 1>wonder what's what's next for you? What are your what

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<v Speaker 1>are your plans for college next year? Well, for college

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<v Speaker 1>next year, I am still awaiting. Um. I am in

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<v Speaker 1>that group of students that you know where our decision

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<v Speaker 1>dates got pushed back. So I'm hoping to get some

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<v Speaker 1>decisions in the next few weeks. Don't don't want to

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<v Speaker 1>give it away yet, I understand, But you're going to

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<v Speaker 1>go straight through. It sounds like you're going to go

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<v Speaker 1>to You're expecting to go to college in the fall

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<v Speaker 1>and then probably medical school after college. Um, we'll see

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<v Speaker 1>how that goes. As of right now, my tentative plan

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<v Speaker 1>is too major in political science and eventually go to

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<v Speaker 1>grad school for law. But my ultimate goal just whatever

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<v Speaker 1>I decide to major in whatever I decide to do

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<v Speaker 1>in grad school. My goal is to make sure that

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<v Speaker 1>these suitors get to the people that need them. That's

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<v Speaker 1>going to happen no matter what. Dejah. I'm always amazed

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<v Speaker 1>when I see a science competition like this, and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the young people who come up with this amazing ideas.

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<v Speaker 1>And as someone who was never good at coming up

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<v Speaker 1>with that kind of idea, I'd love your advice. We

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<v Speaker 1>always had the show by asking for some advice for listeners.

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<v Speaker 1>How do you think creatively about this kind of innovation?

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<v Speaker 1>My best piece of advice is to be curious. Now,

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<v Speaker 1>I know that sounds really general, but I promise you

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<v Speaker 1>that is the only way that I got where I

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<v Speaker 1>am today. I was curious about conducting research. I was

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<v Speaker 1>curious about beats, I was curious about science fair competitions.

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<v Speaker 1>And I took this entire like I want to change

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<v Speaker 1>the world idea to my mentor, Carolyn Walling, and she said,

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<v Speaker 1>I think this is a great idea. You have to

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<v Speaker 1>figure out where you're going to start. And now I'm like,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm everywhere changing the world, and that's been amazing. So like,

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<v Speaker 1>being curious has afforded me so many opportunities, and there's

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<v Speaker 1>just no way that I would be here if I

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<v Speaker 1>were if I were just you know, kind of just

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<v Speaker 1>going through the motions of life and not really seeking

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<v Speaker 1>out new knowledge. So seeking out new knowledge, being curious

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<v Speaker 1>is definitely the way to go. You you mentioned that

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<v Speaker 1>you have a mentor. Can you tell me what that

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<v Speaker 1>relationships like? Of course, Oh, my goodness, my mentor is amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>So today we kind of just talked about my phase

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<v Speaker 1>one of research. But since then, I've added like two

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<v Speaker 1>new mentors to the team. My first one in OG

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<v Speaker 1>that is Carolyn Walling. She was my honors teacher. I

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<v Speaker 1>have had the honor and pleasure of welcoming Michelle Wickner

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<v Speaker 1>to the team. She's also a chemistry teacher ap KIM

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<v Speaker 1>so she's really smart. She's an ape him teacher at

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<v Speaker 1>West High. And then I've also had the pleasure of

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<v Speaker 1>welcoming Teresa Ho from the University Iola, a microbiologist to

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<v Speaker 1>the team as well. Her expertise is, oh, my gosh,

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<v Speaker 1>phenomenal because I'm working with two chemistry teachers. Um, so

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<v Speaker 1>those are my three mentors. And then like my OGOG

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<v Speaker 1>has been my mom because I love her and she's

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<v Speaker 1>so amazing. But those are all of the people. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>I love it, you've got you've got a whole team

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<v Speaker 1>of people. But any tips for connecting with mentors if

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<v Speaker 1>you don't even have one? Oh yes, I often think that,

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<v Speaker 1>Like people have mentors, but they don't like they just

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<v Speaker 1>don't call it that. Like someone you go to for advice,

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<v Speaker 1>I consider a mentor. It's all relative to UM, to

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<v Speaker 1>your personal perception of what a mentor is. But my

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<v Speaker 1>number one piece of advice for students, especially because I'm

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<v Speaker 1>still a student, UM, is to like listen to your teachers,

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<v Speaker 1>like like followed back and like listen to your teachers.

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<v Speaker 1>Talk to them. I mean, if if you want to,

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<v Speaker 1>and um, really see what they have to say, like

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<v Speaker 1>kind of about life, about school in general. Like you

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<v Speaker 1>have no idea how far like being connected with a

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<v Speaker 1>teacher can take you. I have so many teacher mentors,

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<v Speaker 1>oh my goodness, Like almost everyone in this building is

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<v Speaker 1>a mentor of mine, and I absolutely love it. They

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<v Speaker 1>have provided so much wisdom to my life, things that

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<v Speaker 1>I would not have learned until probably like senior year

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<v Speaker 1>of college. And that has been so amazing. So I

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<v Speaker 1>offer that to my students out there Desia. Will you

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<v Speaker 1>have a brilliant career ahead of you and it is

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<v Speaker 1>such a pleasure talking to you. Thank you for joining us.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you so much. Jacob Desiah Taylor is a senior

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<v Speaker 1>at Iowa City West High School. To learn more about

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<v Speaker 1>her work with beat Dyed Suitures and surgical side infections

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<v Speaker 1>and health equity, check out the links in our show notes.

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<v Speaker 1>Solvable Senior producer is Jocelyn Frank, Research and booking by

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<v Speaker 1>Lisa Dunn. Catherine Girardo is managing producer, and our executive

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<v Speaker 1>producer is Mia Loebell. Solvable is a production of Pushkin Industries.

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<v Speaker 1>If you like the show, please remember to share, rate,

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<v Speaker 1>and review it. It really helps us get the word out.

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<v Speaker 1>You can find Pushkin podcasts wherever you listen, including on

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<v Speaker 1>the iHeartRadio app and Apple podcast. I'm Jacob Weisberg.