A ninth grade entrepreneur has taken home the prestigious “America’s Top Young Scientist” award for his work creating a bar of soap that combats skin cancer. 14-year-old Heman Bekele’s Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS) works by reactivating dendritic cells, which protect the skin from cancerous cells. Bekele hopes to make preventive care more accessible and priced SCTS at less than $10 per bar. The young innovator attributes his success to growing up in Ethiopia, where he witnessed people working outside in the sun all day and wondered how they protected their skin. Along with the award, Bekele was granted a $25,000 prize and mentorship from established scientists.
Image via 3M
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