[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.
[1][2] 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.
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.
[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] 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.