Heman Bekele, a 15-year-old originally from Ethiopia, has been recognized by TIME as its “Kid of the Year” for his innovative approach to potentially treating and curing skin cancer. Bekele’s journey began at a young age, witnessing the effects of sun exposure on people’s skin while growing up in Ethiopia, and later when his family moved to the United States.
His interest in chemistry sparked at age seven when he received a chemistry set for Christmas, which led him to explore the damaging effects of prolonged sun exposure. “When I was younger, I didn’t think much of it, but when I came to America, I realized what a big problem the sun and ultraviolet radiation is when you’re exposed to it for a long time,” Bekele shared with TIME.
Bekele’s passion for skin cancer research led him to develop a soap infused with nanoparticles loaded with imiquimod, a drug already used in some skin cancer treatments. His goal is to make this treatment more accessible and affordable, especially for people from different socio-economic backgrounds. “Almost everyone uses soap and water for cleaning. So soap would probably be the best option,” Bekele explained.
His innovation has earned him recognition from the 2023 Young Scientist Challenge by 3M and Discovery Education, where he won the top prize and a $25,000 award. Although it may take about a decade for his soap to be approved as a cancer treatment, Bekele continues to conduct research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health under the guidance of molecular biologist and professor Vito Rebecca.
Bekele balances his time between his research, schoolwork, playing in the marching band, and enjoying chess, all while promoting his potentially life-saving innovation.