Jacob DeVargas was raised in the small town of Pojoaque, New Mexico. He received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from New Mexico State University in May 2023, followed by a Master of Science in Molecular Biology in July 2024 through the Master’s Accelerated Program at New Mexico State University. He moved to College Station in August 2024, where he has since been a Research Associate in the Clark Lab at Texas A&M University. Genetics has always been one of his biggest interests, and he likes to learn various techniques for editing, manipulating and working with different genes. His current project consists of utilizing CRISPR/Cas 9 to edit genes in various livestock species. In his free time, Jacob likes to cook, bake, swim, and play with his pets Bruno and Maggie.