Heman Bekele has another title to go along with his status as America’s reigning Top Young Scientist.
The 15-year-old Fairfax resident has been chosen as the 2024 Kid of the Year by Time for his efforts to create a soap that could help treat skin cancers. The magazine’s issue recognizing Heman and five other “Kid of the Year” honorees hit newsstands today (Friday).
Following in the footsteps of anti-cyberbullying app creator Gitanjali Rao, the inaugural Kid of the Year in 2020, and humanitarian Orion Jean, who was named the 2021 Kid of the Year at 11 years old, Heman similarly stood out for his ambition and selflessness, Time editor at large Jeffrey Kluger said in his cover story on the teen scientist.
The selection process started with nominations solicited from “young leaders” involved in fields like science, social justice and business. Time’s editors and writers then narrowed down the submissions, which focused on kids aged 8 to 16, and got input from their kid reporter colleagues to determine the finalists.
“Young people are some of the most impressive individuals out there — and not just because they’ve had fewer years in which to hone their talents,” Time’s editors said. “They are not just examples of human attainment, but also reason to believe that the future they’ll lead will be a bright one.”
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before his family moved to the U.S. when he was 4, Heman was motivated to develop his Skin Cancer Treating Soap by early memories of seeing laborers work long hours under the scorching sun.
Already intrigued by chemistry, his science experiments took on a new purpose after he learned about the prescription drug imiquimod, which can be used to treat skin conditions, including superficial basal cell carcinoma, and genital warts, according to Time magazine:
Typically, imiquimod, which can help destroy tumors and usually comes in the form of a cream, is prescribed as a front-line drug as part of a broader cancer treatment plan, but Heman wondered if it could be made available more easily to people in the earliest stages of the disease. A bar of soap, he reckoned, might be just the delivery system for such a lifesaving drug, not just because it was simple, but because it would be a lot more affordable than the $40,000 it typically costs for skin-cancer treatment.
Heman developed a soap infused with chemical compounds that can stimulate dendritic cells, which are part of the body’s immune system, according to a Fairfax County Public Schools profile from last fall. A lipid-based nanoparticle enables the mix to stick to the skin instead of getting washed away.
With the resulting prototype, which he says can cost as little as $8.50 for a pack, Heman won the 16th annual 3M Young Scientist Challenge last October, earning him the title “Top Young Scientist in America” and a $25,000 prize.
Set to enter 10th grade at Woodson High School when the new school year starts on Monday (Aug. 19), Heman has been using the prize money to further develop his soap with the support of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health molecular biologist and assistant professor Vito Rebecca, who is sponsoring his research and works with him at the university’s lab, according to Time.
With the Time recognition, the spotlight on Heman seems to keep growing. He was also honored by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this March for his Young Scientist Challenge victory, and in June, he gave a presentation to the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists in Boston, Time said.
Heman’s desire to use his research to help people, however, hasn’t changed.
“I’m really passionate about skin-cancer research…whether it’s my own research or what’s happening in the field,” Heman told Time. “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. That’s the reason I started this all in the first place.”
