Teen scientist develops a soap that could help prevent and treat skin cancer

TIME is honoring 15-year-old Heman Bekele for his soap that can potentially treat skin cancer.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with about 1 in 5 people developing it at some point in their lives, according to Cleveland Clinic.

It starts when skin cells grow in an unhealthy way. Typically, old skin cells die and are replaced by new ones.

However, UV light from the sun can disrupt this process, causing cells to grow too quickly. These cells can be benign and harmless or cancerous.

Skin cancer can spread to nearby tissues or other body parts if it is not detected early. Fortunately, early detection and treatment can cure most cases.

Mohs surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and cryotherapy are some of the current methods used to treat skin cancer.

Growing up in Ethiopia, Herman noticed the harmful effects of sun exposure on people’s skin. He observed that many workers did not use sun protection.

As a result, TIME has named him “Kid of the Year” for his important work, PEOPLE reports.

After his family moved to the U.S., 7-year-old Herman received a chemistry set for Christmas that included sodium hydroxide. This gift sparked his interest in chemical reactions.

At the same time, he began to think more about the potential damage of long-term sun exposure on the human body.

“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,” Herman told TIME.

He developed a strong interest in skin cancer research and treatment.

“I’m really passionate about skin cancer research,” he said, highlighting his commitment to his own research and the advancements in the field.

He discovered that imiquimod, a drug used for some skin cancers, can destroy tumors when applied as a cream.

This led him to think about whether imiquimod could treat earlier stages of skin cancer and make it more accessible to people from different socio-economic backgrounds.

Herman decided to develop a soap because soap and water are commonly used for cleaning.

He pointed out that the soap would be significantly cheaper than the $40,000 cream.

In a video with the TIME article, Herman described how his soap uses nanoparticles with imiquimod to keep the drug on the skin even after rinsing.

Scientists and the judges of the 2023 Young Scientist Challenge, run by 3M and Discovery Education, saw the potential in his idea to treat skin cancer and awarded him $25,000.

The soap must pass through several stages before it can be approved for treatment.

In the meantime, when he’s not attending Woodson High School in Fairfax County, Va., Herman conducts research at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

Molecular biologist Vito Rebecca invited Bekele to use the lab, and he is now his sponsor. They have been testing the soap on mice.

TIME reports that the soap may take about ten years to be approved as a cancer treatment.

Despite the upcoming challenges of patenting the soap and securing FDA approval, Heman remains hopeful about its impact, as per TOI.

His commitment to science was evident when he spoke to 8,000 National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists attendees.

In addition to his scientific work, Heman is active in the Woodson High School marching band, plays basketball, reads a lot, and enjoys chess.

He credits his success to the support from his family and mentors, including his parents and Deborah Isabelle from the 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

Heman’s early achievements show his belief that innovation and creativity are limitless.

“Just keep inventing. Keep thinking of new ways to improve our world and keep making it a better place,” he said.

Watch Herman Bekele as he talks about his soap to treat skin cancer below: