Every year, TIME magazine recognizes young individuals who are making a positive impact in the world—from budding entrepreneurs to passionate social activists. In August, TIME announced its 2024 Kid of the Year: 15-year-old Ethiopian-American Hemen Bekele. A young scientist from Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, Hemen has pioneered an innovative approach to cancer research. He’s exploring a groundbreaking way to make skin cancer treatment more accessible by using a simple, everyday item as the delivery tool: soap.
In an interview with TIME, Heman Bekle explained the inspiration behind his groundbreaking project. It all started in Ethiopia where he observed that many people work long hours under the sun. After his family moved to the United States, he became more aware of the dangers of prolonged UV exposure. In 2023, Heman entered the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, where he introduced his innovative creation: a soap that could one day help treat skin cancer. He recognized a major gap in the market – there are few accessible and affordable treatments for skin cancer. His idea won him the $25,000 grand prize and the title of “America’s Top Young Scientist.”Top of Form
The teen scientist, with the help of his mentors, designed a soap that uses lipid-nanoparticles to deliver cancer fighting drugs, allowing for the medication to linger on the skin and not be washed off right away. He had read about a drug called imiquimod, an approved drug for a form of cancer that destroys tumors and usually comes in the form of a cream. By experimenting with the drug in soap form, he was curious to know if it was possible to make it more easily available in the earlier stages of cancer for the masses by using a common household item.
Heman is currently using his prize money to further develop his innovation. Vito Rebecca, a molecular biologist and assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, has taken Heman under his wing as his principal investigator, and the two are now working together in the Baltimore lab. Heman has begun the initial phase of bringing his idea to life, though he fully understands that there is still a long road ahead. Despite his age, he has a significant head start – one he doesn’t take for granted. Heman continues to be an inspiration to young individuals striving to make a difference through science. Nurturing the curiosity of young minds is crucial, as they are the ones who will shape the future. With passion, perseverance, and a brilliant mind, Heman Bekle is just getting started – and the world will be watching.
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Roselle Torres
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