Teen Scientist Presents Turmeric Bandage as a Sustainable Way for Faster Healing   

• Ishita Mukadam, an 18-year-old high school student from Iowa, has developed an innovative biodegradable bandage infused with the spice turmeric. This bandage was one of the many inventions showcased at the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Inspired by her grandmother’s traditional use of turmeric for wound healing, Mukadam created the TurmBand. Her project, which took fourth place in the fair’s translational medical science division, uses turmeric’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties to aid healing. In addition, the TurmBand can signal infections by changing color. Mukadam’s research showed that turmeric turns from yellow to red at a pH of 8 to 9, the range typical of infected wounds. Mukadam’s creation is made of organic cotton, making it more sustainable than conventional plastic bandages. The TurmBand is also cost-effective. It costs about $0.44 to create, significantly less than the combined cost of traditional bandages with antibiotic ointment. Mukadam hopes to patent her invention. Ishita Mukadam was one of nearly 2,000 finalists who competed in Regeneron ISEF this year, vying for more than $9 million in prizes. This high school event is the most prestigious pre-college science competition in the U.S. J.K. Park Staff Reporter junior/1722490319/1613368089