Program: Ph.D. in Systems, Synthetic & Physical Biology
Home Country: Mexico
Universities: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)
Languages: Spanish, English
Pronouns: He/Him
Santiago Jara Sarracino is a Mexican scientist and Fulbright scholar pursuing his Ph.D. in the Systems, Synthetic & Physical Biology program at Rice University. Originally from Sonora, Mexico, a region known for its hot desert landscapes and coastline, he grew up with a close relationship to the environment. His love for nature persists through his personal interests in camping and being outdoors.
His core intellectual motivation is to understand living systems through alternative perspectives, such as basal cognition and systems biology, utilizing new models and metaphors to explore how organisms process information. Santiago began his scientific path early, obtaining a bronze medal at the International Biology Olympiad 2018 in Iran. During his subsequent studies in Mexico, which he concluded with a mención honorífica, he worked alongside a team to develop Agropip, a project focused on producing a specific piperamide in yeast to serve as a sustainable biopesticide.
As a Fulbright scholar at Rice University, Santiago is interested in building a community with people from different parts of the world. He views this fellowship as an opportunity to connect with individuals who share an interest in learning and to develop friendships that extend beyond academic borders.
In his personal time, Santiago plays the piano, visits museums, and studies ancient history from various cultures. He also spends time drawing, creating constructed languages, and writing down thoughts in new notebooks. At Rice University, he looks forward to joining the academic community in Houston and contributing to the study of biological networks.
What I like about Rice/Houston:
People seem very warm and happy.
What I like about Fulbright:
It has opened doors to connect with incredible people and provided opportunities I could only dream of.
Fun Fact about me:
I love drawing but I am very bad at it.