Highland Park High School student Ellie Chong has made a breakthrough in detecting post-surgery infections early, a common and costly type of infection. Her innovative method is inexpensive, costing only around 40 cents. The detection method involves a gel that can be applied to surgical sites under a dressing. This gel changes color to blue if the site is going to display symptoms of infection before those symptoms actually begin.
Chong discovered that infected sites become less acidic before symptoms develop, and her gel contains a dye that changes color based on the change in acidity. In addition to gelatin, a key ingredient in Jell-O, other ingredients are used in the gel. Chong envisions her project being useful in hospitals in Dallas and remote areas where surgery may be carried out during medical missions. Patients in rural areas with limited access to healthcare could utilize the gel to monitor their wounds at home.
During the development process, Chong experimented with various gel ingredients before settling on gelatin. Collagen, a top-selling supplement, did not alter color, while the vegetarian gelatin substitute agar-agar disintegrated due to its grainy texture. Finding the right balance of materials was crucial, as too little gelatin resulted in a runny gel, while excessive gelatin made the gel brittle and prone to breaking.
Chong’s project won first place in the Biomedical and Health Science category at the Texas Science and Engineering Fair, including the $1000 Wayne Squires Award. She was also selected to attend the International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles in May. Chong expressed her gratitude to her science teachers at Highland Park High School for their guidance and support, as well as to her parents for their encouragement. She hopes that other students interested in science will have the opportunity to explore and pursue their interests, connecting with peers who share the same passion for STEM fields.
