Who is Heman Bekele, the 14-year-old US teen who invented soap to ‘treat’ skin cancer?

A 14-year-old boy who created an inexpensive bar of soap that heals skin cancer has been crowned America's Top Young Scientist.“I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world. I have always been interested in biology and technology, and this challenge gave me the perfect platform to showcase my ideas,” Heman Bekele said in his submission for the award.He competed against nine other finalists in the 2023 3M Young Scientists Challenge, winning the $25,000 grand prize that he plans to use to pay for college and a patent.Here is all we know about the young scientist.All about young genius Heman BekeleHeman Bekele is currently in the ninth grade at WT Woodson High School in Annandale, Virginia.His self-taught programming skills include fluency in Python, Lua, JavaScript, and C, according to his LinkedIn profile.He describes himself as “passionate about medicine, programming, and making an impact” and is “eager for opportunities in research and internships in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and computer science.”In the future, he plans to pursue a career as an electrical engineer.“I envision myself leading a team of professionals in the development of innovative electrical systems that will shape the future of technology,” Bekele said, adding, “Alongside my professional success, I hope to have a fulfilling personal life with loving family and a strong network of friends.”“I also hope to have given back to my community by mentoring aspiring engineers and supporting initiatives that promote STEM education. Ultimately, in 15 years, I hope to have positively impacted the world through my work and personal endeavours,” he said, according to Dailymail.More about his inventionBekele created the cancer-fighting soap by combining three chemicals with medicinal soap that have been shown to reactivate dendritic cells, which are responsible for triggering an immune response to fight cancer.In addition to assisting in the fight against skin cancer, the young genius discovered that each bar of soap costs just $0.50, as opposed to the more than $40,000 required for typical medical treatments.Over the next five years, Bekele plans to improve this new idea and establish a non-profit organisation to disseminate this affordable solution to underserved areas.“Skin cancer is mostly found in people living in developing countries,” he told Farifax County Public Schools, adding, “But the average price for an operation is $40,000. I was devastated by the idea of people choosing between treatment and putting food on the table for their families. There are so many preventable deaths.”According to the report, the teenager began learning about dendritic cells after studying about skin cancer, which he said enhanced immune response helps to protect the skin.Salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin are keratolytic chemicals that dissolve the skin's outer layers, according to the video clip he presented at the competition.This enables the release of toll-like receptors, proteins that are important for the innate immune system that attach to and reactivate dendritic cells, into the skin.To combat the infected cells, the dendritic cells team up with white blood cells.The substance is known as skin cancer-treating soap, or SCTS, and according to Bekele, it can be applied to the skin every few days with a prescription.The competitionAccording to USA Today, the 3M and Discovery Education competition is regarded as one of the top middle school science competitions in the country. As per a news release, students were challenged this year to use STEM to find a solution to an issue in the real world.For the title, award, and $25,000 cash prize, students in the fifth through eighth grades were asked to develop and submit an idea or innovation that has the potential to alter the world.A ninth-grader from San Jose, California, named Shripriya Kalbhavi won second place for developing a low-cost patch that enables self-automated medication distribution without pills or needles.Sarah Wang, a seventh-grader from Andover, Massachusetts, secured third place for creating a glove that is connected to a smartphone app and analyses seizure data and can recognise specific epileptic episodes with typical hand gestures.The children who came in fourth through tenth place each received a $1,000 prize and a $500 gift card, while Shripriya and Sarah each received $2,000.Among others, the other recognised students are from Austin, Texas; Oviedo, Florida; New Rochelle, New York; Portland, Oregon; Baltimore; and others.Skin cancer – a global health issueSkin cancer, the malignancy that starts in skin cells, is not simply a local issue, but is a global health concern.Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma are the three main types of skin cancer, and each one has a different level of risk, as per Yahoo News.The deadliest type of skin cancer is melanoma, even though it only accounts for roughly one per cent of occurrences. It is also the fastest growing cancer in comparison to others. Melanoma rates rose by 44 per cent between 2005 and 2020, making it one of the cancers with the fastest-growing incidence rates.The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that each year, between two and three million non-melanoma skin cancers and 132,000 melanoma skin cancers occur worldwide.Skin type, climatic conditions, and cultural practises all varied significantly around the globe, has a significant impact on the cases of skin cancer.The Skin Cancer Foundation emphasises that each year, more people in the United States than in any other country are diagnosed with skin cancer. Additionally, by the age of 70, skin cancer is predicted to affect one in five Americans.Australia and New Zealand routinely report having the highest instances of skin cancer because they are geographically closer to the ozone hole over Antarctica than other areas, which exposes them to more dangerous UV radiation.European countries like Norway and Denmark, too, report high number of cases, despite having less exposure to the sun.The lowest incidences of skin cancer are typically seen in African nations, especially those in the Central and Western parts of the continent. African and Asian countries, like Japan, China, and India, record lower rates of skin cancer.According to the press release, skin cancer treatment is very pricey, costing around $8.1 billion yearly.With inputs from agencies