Darrin Schultz ’13, the lead author of a paper published in Nature in May 2023, is deepening our understanding of animal evolution. Using cutting-edge DNA sequencing methods, Schultz and his team analyzed various animal genomes—the unique set of genes that serve as the building blocks of life. Their research concluded that comb jellies—tiny, oval-shaped marine invertebrates known for their iridescent rainbow sheen—are the likely sibling group (in genetic terms, the oldest relation) of all animals. These findings offer implications for our understanding of how animals are related to one another—and when they started to become more complex. Schultz’s interest in studying DNA dates to his time at Oberlin. As a biology major, he cultivated his skills by pursuing research with two professors: Marta Laskowski, who studies plant root development, and Mike Moore, whose work involves plant evolutionary diversity. Now a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Vienna’s department of neurosc...