Teen Scientist Heman Bekele's soap may revolutionize skin cancer treatment

Bekele's journey into science began in his childhood in Ethiopia, where he witnessed the effects of the sun on people.

At just 15, Heman Bekele, a high school sophomore from Virginia, has achieved a feat many seasoned scientists only dream of – a potential breakthrough in skin cancer treatment. Named TIME magazine's 2024 Kid of the Year, Bekele's groundbreaking invention, a soap designed to deliver medication for treating skin cancers, including melanoma, could change countless lives.

"It's an incredible feeling, it's surreal," Bekele told TIME, still processing the magnitude of the recognition.

Bekele's journey into science began in his childhood in Ethiopia, where he witnessed the harsh effects of the sun on people's skin. This experience fueled his desire to create a solution, and his early passion for science set the stage for his remarkable achievement.
 

"What keeps me pushing forward is thinking back to the impact that I will be able to have on those groups of people when I one day release that bar of soap," Bekele shared.

His dedication to science was evident from a young age. By five, he was already experimenting with household chemicals, a testament to the curiosity and drive that would lead to his groundbreaking work.

This isn't Bekele's first recognition. In 2023, he was named America's Top Young Scientist by 3M and Discovery Education, winning $25,000.

Currently, Bekele is collaborating with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to test his soap's effectiveness on mice, bringing him closer to FDA certification and making his invention available to those in need.

As he embarks on his sophomore year, Bekele continues to balance his academic life with his scientific pursuits, driven by the hope of making a real difference.

"It's absolutely incredible to think that one day my bar of soap will be able to make a direct impact on somebody else's life," Bekele expressed. "That's the reason I started this all in the first place."