14-YEAR-OLD SCIENTIST NAMED THE TOP YOUNGEST SCIENTIST IS AMERICA FOR CREATION OF SKIN CANCER TREATMENT

Any new development in our fight against cancer is highly commendable, as it is one of the deadliest diseases known to man. Heman Bekele, a 14-year-old student from Annandale, Virginia, made the most recent breakthrough. The most prevalent type of skin cancer, melanoma, can be treated with the bar soap the student made. His discoveries have now made him the recipient of the title of America's Top Young Scientist.

Bekele explained during his presentation at the 3M Young Scientist Challenge, "I made this soap by fusing regular medicinal soap with a 50/30/20 ratio of salicylic acid, glycolic acid, and tretinoin, which are all keratolytic agents that slowly reactivate dendritic cells." Melanoma Treating Soap (MTS) releases toll-like receptors into your skin when it is used. Dendritic cells are reactivated when these receptors cling to them. Dendritic cells that have been reactivated then team up with TN io12 cells to combat HPV-infected cells.

Bekele's soap works to support the patient's immune cells in their ongoing battle against melanoma, rather than providing a cure. Although there are comparable treatments for skin cancer, the young man made the decision to develop a less expensive one, particularly for people in underdeveloped nations. As of right now, the product appears to have great potential on paper, but further research is needed to determine how effective it is in practice.

Bekele was paired with a mentor and went up against nine other youth-led projects. Product engineering specialist and abrasive expert Deborah Isabelle assisted him in turning his idea into a prototype and mentored him through a series of tasks, culminating in a presentation of their creation. 

Two other projects in the competition were an inexpensive electronic braille display device and a glove for detecting epilepsy. Bekele received a $25,000 cash prize as the winner. For the time being, the young scientist wants to improve his creation and establish a nonprofit organisation to provide the MTS to people who are most in need. "I think that young minds can have a positive impact on the world, which is why I applied for the 3M Young Scientist Challenge," Bukele stated.

"I've always been interested in technology and biology, and this challenge provided the ideal setting for me to present my concepts. It was an exciting prospect to have the chance to work with 3M mentors and present my project to a panel of judges. My goal is to motivate others to take up the cause of sustainable problem-solving, as I am passionate about doing it myself.