Ellie Chong, a Highland Park High School freshman, has developed a cost-effective method to detect hospital-acquired infections before symptoms appear. Her project won first place in the Biomedical and Health Science category at the Texas Science and Engineering Fair, earning her the $1,000 Wayne Squires Award and a spot at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in May.
Chong’s invention is a gel that can be attached to surgical sites under a dressing, turning blue if the site is going to show signs of infection before symptoms manifest. This is possible because infected sites become less acidic before symptoms develop, and the gel contains a dye that changes color based on the acidity of the solution. After testing various materials including gelatin, Jell-O’s major ingredient, Chong found the right combination for the gel.
The potential applications for Chong’s project extend beyond hospitals to remote areas where medical care may be limited. In rural areas without easy access to medical facilities, patients could use the gel to monitor their wounds at home, providing an easy and fast way to detect infections early without requiring specialized knowledge or training.
Chong expressed her gratitude to her science teachers at Highland Park High School for their support as well as her parents. She hopes that other students interested in science will have the opportunity to pursue their interests and meet like-minded peers through projects like hers.