This 13-Year-Old Mexican Boy Is the Youngest Molecular Biologist In the World
Ian Emmanuel González Santos from Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco isn’t your standard teenage boy.
At 13 years old, his profound interest in biology made him break some serious records. In fact, the Mexican child genius has now become the youngest molecular biologist in the world. He will get another degree from the University of Guadalajara this month.
Ian’s story is fascinating, with the child telling Univision that other students “would look at him weird” growing up.
He explained that although “it feels good knowing you can learn faster and understand complex subject matters,” his intelligence “made it harder to relate to kids his age.” Still, he has a Master’s degree and another diploma on the way — plus some big dreams to cure diseases.
Everything to know about the Jalisco child genius’ story
As per Debate México, Ian learned to read and speak perfectly at three years old and quickly became interested in molecular biology.
By seven, the child genius worked on a study about melanocyte regeneration in patients with vitiligo. Still, incredibly enough, his mother, Sandra Santos, told the outlet that his elementary school doubted his potential.
She explained, “I was told no a lot and worked through obstacles,” she said. “They told me once at his school that he had an attention deficit issue and a cognitive problem.”
However, as she describes, the school hadn’t noticed her child was winning microbiology competitions.
“Schools aren’t prepared for the diagnosis, follow-up, or support for high capacity children.”
The future molecular biologist grew frustrated when his own teachers couldn’t answer his questions. At that point, his mother transferred him to home school.
As destiny would have it, Ian soon met Dr. Francisco Josué Carrillo Ballesteros, a biomedical science professor at the University Center of Exact Sciences and Engineering, an entity of the University of Guadalajara.
The professor invited Ian to his class one day, which made the child realize his dream of becoming a pharmaceutical biochemist.
Ian told Debate that after the class, he realized, “Here is where I need to study, here is where they teach microbiology, chemistry, molecular biology, genetics, and all the subjects I like.”
Eventually, Ian’s mother knew it was time to transfer him to the university
As per Nación 321, Ian began his university career at nine years old. We know, it’s almost unheard of.
After receiving his certificates for primary, secondary and high school, the child prodigy transferred over to the University of Guadalajara. He told Informador, “I felt much better in university since there were more subjects.” Explaining, “They went deeper [into the subjects] just like I wanted.”
While he is already the world’s youngest molecular biologist, he will graduate with a pharmaceutical biochemistry degree on May 31. This means he will become the University of Guadalajara’s youngest graduate in history.
Ian’s dream is to continue his work in molecular biology, conducting studies and finding cures for diseases.
While he might go for his doctoral degree soon, he told Univision that studying at university is “extremely exciting, something [he] dreamed of and wanted.”
Saying, “The fact I’m achieving it is incredible.”
