Heman Bekele
Heman Bekele | |
|---|---|
| Born | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Awards | 3M Young Scientist Challenge (2023) Time Kid of the Year (2024) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biomedical research, materials science |
Heman Bekele is an Ethiopian American inventor and scientific researcher. He developed a soap prototype designed to deliver cancer-fighting treatments, earning recognition through various science competitions, including the 3M Young Scientist Challenge and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes.
Early life and education
[edit]Bekele was born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and emigrated to the United States with his family at the age of four.[1][2] He grew up in Annandale, Virginia, with his parents, Muluemebet, a teacher, and Wondwossen, a human resources specialist at the U.S. Agency for International Development. He has two sisters.[1]
Bekele's early exposure to the harsh sun in Ethiopia, where laborers worked with minimal protection, shaped his understanding of the risks associated with prolonged ultraviolet exposure.[1][2] His interest in science developed during childhood, spurred by his experimentation with household chemicals and the gift of a chemistry set before his seventh birthday.[1] Bekele attended Robert Frost Middle School and later enrolled at Carter G. Woodson High School.[1][2]
Research
[edit]Bekele's cancer research began when he was eleven years old, prompted by the lack of affordable healthcare and the prevalence of sun exposure in Ethiopia.[3] Drawing on his memories and growing understanding of skin cancer, Bekele conceptualized a soap capable of delivering cancer-fighting treatments.[1][2] He developed his idea further while preparing for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge in 2023. After creating a video pitch, Bekele was selected as one of ten finalists and eventually won the competition, earning the title of America's Top Young Scientist.[1][2]
The soap prototype, called Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS), uses lipid-based nanoparticles to deliver a cancer-fighting compound to the skin.[2][3] Bekele’s design is intended to make treatment accessible and affordable, with a per-unit cost of less than ten dollars.[2][3]
Bekele’s research progressed significantly with the mentorship of Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist from 3M, and a collaboration with Vito Rebecca, a molecular biologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.[1][2] In 2024, he began conducting clinical trials on mice to further test the soap's efficacy.[1][3]
Bekele presented to over 8,000 attendees at the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists in Boston.[1] He received the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2024, which provided a $10,000 grant to support his research.[3] He was named Time Kid of the Year in 2024.[1]
As of 2024, Bekele's long-term goals include obtaining U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for his soap and founding a nonprofit to distribute it globally by 2028.[2][3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kluger, Jeffrey (2024-08-15). "Heman Bekele Is TIME's 2024 Kid of the Year: TIME's Kid of the Year List". TIME. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Somasundaram, Praveena (October 25, 2023). "He developed a cancer-fighting soap — while in middle school". Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-12-12.
- ^ a b c d e f Roth, Maggie (2024-09-19). "Heman Bekele, Teen Who Developed Cancer-Fighting Soap, Wins Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes". Northern Virginia Magazine. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
- Living people
- People from Addis Ababa
- People from Annandale, Virginia
- Ethiopian emigrants to the United States
- Time Kid of the Year
- American children
- Ethiopian children
- 21st-century American inventors
- 21st-century American scientists
- African-American children
- Ethiopian scientists
- 21st-century Ethiopian people
- Carter G. Woodson High School alumni
- Scientists from Virginia
- Inventors from Virginia
- 21st-century African-American scientists
- African-American inventors