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Skin cancer ranks among the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with millions of new cases diagnosed each year. However, a potentially revolutionary solution may soon be within reach thanks to the innovative work of a young scientist named Heman Bekele. This impressive 15-year-old from Annandale, Virginia, developed a bar of soap infused with immunotherapy drugs to help fight the disease. And his incredible work just earned him the title of TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024.
Before moving to the U.S., Bekele spent the first four years of his life in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. There, he observed local laborers working long hours under the scorching sun and learned from his parents about the importance of protecting skin from harmful UV radiation.
“When I came to America, I realized how big of a problem the sun and UV radiation is when you’re exposed to it for really long periods of time,” Bekele recalls. “That’s what inspired me to go towards [developing treatment for] skin cancer, because right now there are no affordable and accessible alternatives to the really pricey treatment on the market.”
Bekele has had a love for science ever since he was 4 years old, when he began conducting his own experiments with common household chemicals like dish soap and laundry detergent. He reveals, “Long before I was mixing ingredients for soap, I would just mix together ‘potions’ looking for reactions.” Fortunately, his parents fostered his curiosity and encouraged him to pursue his passion.
A few years ago, Bekele came across imiquimod, a drug known for treating certain skin cancers. Typically used in a cream as part of larger treatment plans, he started thinking about how to make it more accessible for those in the early stages of the disease. He envisioned a bar of soap as a simple and affordable way to deliver this crucial medication, potentially reducing the high costs associated with skin cancer treatment. However, Bekele still needed to ensure that imiquimod would remain on the skin even after the soap is rinsed off. He solved this by mixing it with a lipid-based nanoparticle, which helps the drug cling to the skin at a molecular level.
In October 2023, Bekele applied for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge with his cancer-treating soap and earned the title of America’s Top Young Scientist, as well as a cash prize of $25,000. This amazing achievement also helped Bekele find new opportunities and support within the scientific community. The young scientist is now supported by Vito Rebecca, a molecular biologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, who has become both his sponsor and lab partner.
In addition to thoroughly testing the soap, Bekele needs to secure a patent and obtain FDA certification, which could take some time. However, he hopes to have his Skin Cancer Treating Soap on the market by 2028. Priced at just $8.50 per bar, it promises to make skin cancer treatment affordable and accessible to as many people as possible.
“A lot of people have this mindset that everything’s been done, there’s nothing left for me to do,” Bekele told TIME. “To anybody having that thought, [I’d say] we’ll never run out of ideas in this world. Just keep inventing. Keep thinking of new ways to improve our world and keep making it a better place.”
15-year-old Heman Bekele was named TIME’s Kid of the Year for 2024 for his innovative cancer-curing soap.
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h/t: [TIME]
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