Heman Bekele, a 15-year-old from Ethiopia, has been honored by TIME as its “Kid of the Year” for his groundbreaking work in skin cancer research. Inspired by the sun’s effects on skin during his childhood in Ethiopia, Bekele has developed a soap containing nanoparticles loaded with imiquimod—a drug used to treat skin cancer.
Bekele’s interest in the potential for such a soap was sparked by his exposure to chemical reactions from a young age. Realizing the high cost of current treatments, he aimed to create a more affordable solution. His soap, which aims to deliver imiquimod at a molecular level even after washing, could offer a promising alternative for early-stage skin cancer treatment.
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While the soap is still in the testing phase, Bekele’s innovation has already earned him recognition and a $25,000 award from the 2023 Young Scientist Challenge. He continues his research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is working towards future approvals.
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