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Heman Bekele: The Teen Scientist Fighting Skin Cancer with Soap
At just 15 years old, Heman Bekele has accomplished what many researchers spend lifetimes pursuing: developing a potentially life-saving medical innovation that could be accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic status. Named TIME Magazine’s 2024 Kid of the Year, this Ethiopian American teenager has invented a soap that could revolutionize how we treat and prevent skin cancer.
From Ethiopia to Scientific Innovation
Heman’s story begins in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was born before immigrating to the United States with his family at age four. Growing up in Annandale, Virginia, with his parents—Muluemebet, a teacher, and Wondwossen, who works at the U.S. Agency for International Development—Heman carried with him powerful memories from his early childhood.
Those memories of people working long hours outside under the glaring sun in Ethiopia stayed with him as he progressed through Fairfax County Public Schools. He witnessed laborers toiling under harsh UV radiation with minimal protection, a sight that would later inspire his life’s work. His parents constantly warned him about the dangers of sun exposure, lessons that took root in his curious young mind.
A Chemistry Set That Changed Everything
When his family gifted him a chemistry set for Christmas at age seven, it included sodium hydroxide, which sparked Bekele’s interest in science. What began as experimentation with household chemicals soon evolved into something much more profound. By age eleven, Heman began seriously researching cancer treatments, driven by what he had witnessed in his early years and the healthcare disparities he came to understand.
The Breakthrough: Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS)
Heman’s innovation, which he calls Skin Cancer Treating Soap or SCTS, costs only $8.50 to create a batch of 20 bars—a stark contrast to the tens of thousands of dollars traditional skin cancer treatments can cost. But the affordability is just part of the story.
The soap uses an ingenious approach to deliver cancer-fighting medication. It delivers cancer-fighting drugs via lipid nanoparticles, which work to activate the body’s immune cells to fend off cancer. The key ingredient is imiquimod, a compound already approved for treating certain forms of skin cancer. Heman’s innovation was figuring out how to deliver this treatment through something as simple and accessible as soap.
When skin cancer develops, it weakens dendritic cells—specialized immune cells that help the body fight disease. Heman’s soap works to replenish these dendritic cells, boosting the body’s natural immune response against cancer cells. The treatment is designed to be used every few days on affected areas, with the medication continuing to work even after washing.
The Road to Recognition
Creating a video pitch, Bekele was selected as one of ten finalists for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2023 and eventually won the competition, earning the title of America’s Top Young Scientist. The victory came with a $25,000 prize and invaluable mentorship from 3M product engineering specialist Deborah Isabelle, who helped him refine his prototype.
The development process wasn’t easy. Heman spent approximately a year and a half experimenting with different combinations of ingredients to find the right formula. Using coconut oil, organic shea butter, and moisturizing compounds, he had to ensure the soap maintained its structure without melting or flaking apart while still delivering the active medication effectively.
His breakthrough didn’t stop at the 3M challenge. He received the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2024, which provided a $10,000 grant to support his research, and was ultimately named TIME’s 2024 Kid of the Year for his groundbreaking work.
Working Toward the Future
Currently a student at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, Heman doesn’t just study science in the classroom. He conducts research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, working under the mentorship of molecular biologist Vito Rebecca. This collaboration has been crucial in advancing his soap from concept to a product that could one day receive FDA approval.
Heman has ambitious but concrete goals. By 2028, he hopes to have his soap FDA-approved and to establish a nonprofit organization that will distribute the treatment to low-income communities around the world. His five-year plan includes securing a patent, conducting clinical trials, and navigating the complex regulatory landscape necessary to bring a new medical treatment to market.
It’s worth noting that some in the scientific community have pointed out that Heman’s work hasn’t yet been published in peer-reviewed journals, a standard practice in scientific research. However, this shouldn’t diminish the remarkable achievement of a teenager who has brought international attention to the possibility of making cancer treatment more accessible.
Why Soap?
When asked why he chose soap as his delivery method, Heman’s reasoning is beautifully simple and profound. “Almost everyone uses soap and water for cleaning. So soap would probably be the best option,” he explained. In a world where cutting-edge cancer treatments can cost tens of thousands of dollars and require advanced medical facilities, a bar of soap represents something revolutionary: universal accessibility.
The potential cost per bar—around 50 cents—makes it feasible for distribution in developing countries where skin cancer rates are high but treatment options are limited. This isn’t just about scientific innovation; it’s about healthcare equity.
A Model of Compassion and Determination
What makes Heman’s story particularly inspiring is the combination of scientific brilliance with genuine compassion. His mentor, Deborah Isabelle, describes him as kind, intelligent, focused, inspiring, and energetic—qualities that suggest he’ll continue making significant contributions well beyond this single invention.
Heman’s work serves as a powerful reminder that solutions to our most pressing problems can come from unexpected places. His mother describes him as self-driven, someone who began exploring science at a very young age on his own initiative. This internal motivation, combined with supportive parents and educators, has allowed him to pursue an idea that could genuinely change lives.
Looking Ahead
While Heman has already achieved remarkable recognition, he remains focused on the work ahead. Clinical trials need to be conducted, regulatory approvals obtained, and manufacturing scaled up. The scientific and medical communities will need to validate the soap’s effectiveness through rigorous testing.
But if Heman Bekele’s journey so far has taught us anything, it’s that age is no barrier to innovation, and that sometimes the most elegant solutions are also the simplest. From a childhood memory of workers in the Ethiopian sun to international recognition as a young scientist, Heman embodies the potential of combining scientific curiosity with a genuine desire to help others.
His story challenges us to rethink what’s possible and reminds us that the next great medical breakthrough might come not from a pharmaceutical company’s research lab, but from a teenager’s determination to make the world a little more equitable, one bar of soap at a time.
As of 2026, Heman continues his research and is working toward his goal of bringing affordable skin cancer treatment to communities worldwide. His journey is ongoing, and the medical community watches with interest to see if this young scientist’s innovation will fulfill its remarkable promise.
