Who is Heman Bekele? America's Top Young Scientist winner who created soap for treating skin cancer

Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old boy from Virginia, has developed a soap that can treat skin cancer.

The ninth grader from WT Woodson High School in Annandale, Virginia, won the America's Top Young Scientist after competing with nine other finalists in the 2023 3M Young Scientists Challenge. 

According to reports, Bekele infused medicinal soap with three other ingredients and created an affordable soap for treating skin cancer. The ingredients revive the dendritic cells to induce an immune response to combat the fatal disease. The cost of one bar of soap is $0.50, the Daily Mail reported. 

According to Bekele's LinkedIn, he is a freshman attending Woodson High School and a self-taught programmer, fluent in Python, Lua, JavaScript, and C. He describes himself as "passionate about medicine, programming, and making an impact" and "eager for opportunities in research and internships in STEM & computer science."

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"Skin cancer is the most common in people living in developing countries. However, the average price of an operation is $40,000," Bekele told Fairfax County Public Schools. He was devastated to know that people had to choose between treatment and putting food on the table for their families. He added, "There are so many preventable deaths."

Bekele researched more about skin cancer and dendritic cells. In the video he submitted for the contest, he mentioned the three ingredients are salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin. He further explained that the three ingredients are keratolytic agents that break down the skin's outer layers.

The young genius named the product skin-cancer treating soap (SCTS). A patient can apply the soap to the skin every two to three days after getting a prescription.

Bekele also received $25,000 with the award, which he plans to put towards securing a patent and college. 

Heman aspires to become an electrical engineer in the future. He said, "I envision myself leading a team of professionals developing innovative electrical systems that will shape the future of technology. Alongside my professional success, I hope to have a fulfilling personal life with a loving family and a strong network of friends."

He added, "I also hope to have given back to my community by mentoring aspiring engineers and supporting initiatives that promote STEM education. Ultimately, in 15 years, I hope I positively impacted the world through my work and personal endeavours."

(With inputs from agencies)

 

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