Ep 83: DNA is Love - The Journey

We continue our interview with Dave Latorra and Stephanie Ford, the entrepreneurs behind DNA is Love, a unique company that uses science to make cherished memories. Dave describes his science journey as “one thing leading to another.” After high school, he attended junior college where his interest in chemistry first blossomed, then he transitioned to biochemistry followed by microbiology, and ended up pursuing molecular biology during graduate school at Colorado State University. Throughout his journey, Dave has always kept an open mind about his career goals and this helped open the door to many diverse opportunities focused on product development and science. Although Stephanie had a very different career journey from Dave, what helps connect these two co-founders is their appreciation for each other’s curiosity. The idea for DNA is Love was built on Stephanie’s experience as a hospice caregiver and interest in family genealogy. She was inspired by her previous patients to create a unique way of holding onto the memories of those we love. In the brainstorming stages of the company, curiosity, care, and science all came together to give a new meaning on how we view DNA and what it means to us–it is our past, our present, and our future. But most importantly, it is also a special kind of connection and stability that never leaves us–just like love. Looking back at their younger selves, Dave and Stephanie offer this advice: stay on course and true to yourself, and believe in yourself. Check out the current episode to hear more about their journey!    

To hear about the work of DNA is Love, check out the previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/17909274  

Tune into this episode to hear Dave and Stephanie share:

• The scientific journey that inspired DNA is Love
• Which mentors inspired Dave and Stephanie along their career journeys
• How they plan to evolve DNA is Love into the future

Reach out to Dave and Stephanie and learn more about DNA is Love on their website: https://dnaislove.com  

If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:

Ep 61: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Journey  

Ep 38: The Secret Behind CRISPR Gene Editing 

Chapters

• 1:07 Did you have a science spark?
• 5:36 How did your career plans evolve
• 9:38 When and why did you decide to become a scientist?
• 11:18 The story of how DNA is Love came to be
• 16:12 Did you have any mentors and role models throughout your journey?
• 19:35 What advice would you give your younger selves?
• 22:45 What's next for DNA is Love?
• 24:22 Life Lights

Transcript

This is the journey. This is the journey.

Welcome back to We Love Science podcast. This is the journey episode. Here, our guest star shares more about their discovery of science and how mentors and experiences shaped who they are today. To hear more about the work associated with this journey, please check out the previous episode. Hello everyone and welcome back to the show. We love science. Our guests today are Dave Latorra and Stephanie Ford, co-founders of the company DNA is Love. We heard all about their amazing work in the last episode, so if you missed it, just hit the link in the show notes. So Dave and Stephanie, we're going to jump into the journey segment of our conversation, and this is where we kind of go back and understand where exactly did you all start with this? Um, what were some of the things that inspired you as you were going on the journey? And then how did you kind of end up where you are now and where might you go in the future? So first question, did you have a science spark? And this is uh for you Dave or any science wow moments growing up?

I'd say the science spark for me has just been more uh it's definitely been a journey, right? And it's kind of a how can I how can I describe it? Maybe trying to find your way before Google Maps or G Yes. Right.

That's perfect.

Couple steps in one direction and then change course to a different direction. I don't know. A lot of people won't relate to that.

I do.

Perfect. We know.

You know, and but by that I mean like um you know when I started out I graduated high school really wasn't too academic. Um and then I was in junior college and really started to find out what I was passionate about. on the science side. So, um I had a math science program and I did really well in chemistry. So, I thought, "Oh my gosh, I'm really getting this. I understand this. I like this."

Um but then I realized, okay, maybe chemistry per se is not it. So, then I I went to a four-year program and biochemistry was my major change, right? So,

got through with a bachelor's in biochemistry.

Nice.

Stayed on at Clemson University where I got the that and I got a master's in microbiology. So a little bit different there kind of moved in that direction and then finally my last kind of

change of direction was into molecular biology and and DNA based work and that came during you know my PhD program which I I got a degree out of Colorado State. So um it's kind of a

one thing led to another and I just kind of it was more of

here I understand this really well. I I can see this and I can also see a future in

yeah

this. So that's kind of how my journey started and evolved.

Yeah. Yeah. And I like that. Um I like how you described it as one thing leading to another, you know, finding kind of like what you're interested in and then letting that carry you on to the next thing. I think that's really really cool. And then I I'm hoping enjoying all the different biologies that you have in there, all the different chemistries that you picked up and really enjoying that learning process as well.

Yeah. Totally. It's always been I always um have loved learning and the education part of it. Um I used to, you know, my family was wondering if I would ever finally get out of school in college, you know, because I was in grad school for 12. In fact, I was they told me I was in the 30th grade at one point. So that's my career path.

I like that.

Yeah. Dave, we spoke to uh Chemistry Colleen uh most recently and She told a very similar story of hearing from her students how, you know, chemistry is just not for them and they just sort of moved into biology. And so she's sort of like on a mission to prove that, you know, chemistry really isn't that hard.

It's what makes us all up and, you know, she's trying to improve molecular literacy. And so it's really beautiful. I really want to sort of like see how that come all comes together. It's beautiful.

Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think it just, you know, individually um people understand different things. The thing is too, you know, chemistry is pretty a broad umbrella. Um but within there

was like organic chemistry and physical chemistry which were

kind of hard and then you know I and then I just love the biochemistry once I got to DNA you know macro molecules, nucleic acids

I was just fascinated with how all that worked and you know all those other things are kind of structural right in the cells the proteins the lipids all that but the DNA is kind of the living force really, you know, that's always changing, evolving.

Yeah.

The heredity, you know, through the generations and that's, you know,

Stephanie always loves to speak about that like the the past, you know, past, present, future, right? All through DNA, basically.

You're just a DNA guy. That's okay. It's totally fine.

I'm a DNA guy. I got to You got me. You got me.

Nothing wrong with that. I'm a DNA girl, right? So, I can appreciate Yeah,

there you go.

Cool.

I like that.

So Dave, um, getting more into this. So, how did your career plans evolve then during your journey? So, you mentioned, you know, starting in chemistry, then going to biochem, ending up in molecular biology. Uh, when you also think about maybe middle school and high school before you started at junior college, you know, what did that look like for you?

Yeah, I mean, I just was kind of broad-based um program. Nothing. I don't know. I really didn't make a choice until I got to junior college. Like I just wanted to keep an open mind, open agenda. I've always loved math. You know, even to this day, I do a lot of math in my head. Like when I'm

amazing.

If I'm exercising or something and I'm a half hour into it and I want to go an hour and a half, you know, I'm doing the math in my head like I'm okay. I'm 30%, I'm 50%, you know what I mean? Like so I have a math kind of brain.

Yeah. And you know, says I'm black and white things kind of true. So I think some people have the black and white just mathematical and some people are artistic some people seeing colors you know um

so I just have that kind of science brain but I think one thing you know I give Stephanie a lot of credit she's has that scientific curiosity so um

doesn't have the training but it's that curiosity I think that sparks us all to where we want to go and I've been very fortunate I've had you know Between college and DNA is love, I had a whole career where I was working for a lot of different companies,

supporting products, you know, training people, doing troubleshooting, all kind of DNA based, but so many different um avenues. And I've been really fortunate to

yeah,

get to where I am. And now, you know, now we're now I'm doing things because they're more interesting and entrepreneur and they're a little more fun to work on, you know. So, I'm thankful to be in the position I'm in.

Yeah, I like that. I also like how you kept an open mind. I think that's something that we have seen throughout um when we've had our guests on and I would say even you Stephanie, right, in joining this project, you had a really open mind about where this could go um and what could happen. Um so I think that is also just such an important part of all of this and also how you brought up just having a curiosity, right? I think Dave, we can also say your curiosity is definitely what also drove you through all of this, right? just being like wanting to explore things and understand how things work. I think that's really wonderful. I will say I was a little worried when you said that you're on the treadmill and doing math though cuz I was like are we doing like you know algebra like what is happening here? It's like you know I can barely catch my breath and then you're just like yeah I'm just running along and you know just doing some you know differential equations in the background. I love that.

I mean I'm just trying to figure out how to get through the whole workout, right? I tell you, the first the first 10 or 20% are the hardest because, you know, you're not. But once you get once you can see, okay, I'm halfway. All right, I'm threequarters of the way. I'm going to get there, you know. So, um it's just I don't know. Um

I just do see the world in uh in in numbers a lot. So,

yeah. Yeah. It's pretty cool. It's pretty cool.

I think we should all do math when we're working out, honestly. Like, it would really help us to not focus on how much we do not want to be working out or is like, "Oh my god, this hurts so much." But, you know, how do I do this algebra equation or whatever? Like, we should definitely just do something else in our brain that is just way harder. Then we'd work harder at the workout, right? Because we don't want to be doing the math.

There you go.

Yeah. Yeah.

Some of us would do anything to get away from math. I understand.

And And um the last um um of these first questions that I have for you Dave and then we're really eager to hear from Stephanie also is um when and why did you decide to become a scientist? Was it because it sounds like your your journey was I want to say just like very like free flowing and just to me just seemed like so organic. So was there any point where where you said like you know this is really how I'm defining myself and this is where I want to go or again did you just follow your curiosity and did you just follow kind of your interests and then just kind of led to where they led?

Yeah, I would say the latter for sure. I just followed my curiosity and interest and um you know I love science in general too. Not just I mean I also

I mean I did well in chemistry and understood that and I have math but I I used to love physics class you know. Um

yeah

I could really understand you know all those trying to solve all those problems and even to this day you know I love just um other aspects of science beyond what I work in. Um

yeah,

but also I think you know I I just thought at the time when I was getting my degrees this was an up and coming field and I did think biochemistry would be a good future and I did

I did guess right on that. Um it has been a great career and um I've been really fortunate to get in there but no it's just been kind of one thing led to another and then what clicks in my head. So you know certain things I just understand really well um and then you move forward with those I think. I think um so it's always it's the scientific process right it's trial and error and um

when things go well you understand it you can see where it can apply

you can see how you can make a career out of it all those boxes checked off and so I just was heading in that direction

wonderful all right so Steph as a co-founder tell us the DNA is love story how did you meet um as co-founders how did the two of you meet and what led to the decision to start the company and what were those early days like also?

Oh, great question. Uh, yeah, so early on going back in time here, I, you know, it really takes me back to that place of Dave and I met through friends and he had this idea and I just thought, "Oh, this is incredible." And at the time, like I mentioned, I was working with a dear, dear woman. Um, she was 45 and diagnosed with brain cancer. answer

and um and so I went in to become her hospice caregiver and so things progressed very quickly and and she and I became so close during that time and so I was with her 12 hours a day um for four and a half months

and so to be able to be a part of so right as Dave and I were talking about this I was doing this

you know full-time and and I just It just hit me. It really hit me of how important it is to hold on to the memory of those Yeah.

that we love and that we continue forward and yet we're left behind just thinking, wait, the world needs to know who you are and things you've done.

And and I've had a number of people like that um in my life and I just which kind of led me to the stories behind the science, you know, of um these incredible people. And so as Dave and I were talking about it, this was at the forefront of my mind of just yeah, how can we preserve these memories? How can we hold on to parts of these people and our pets that we love and we have to say goodbye to for a time? And and so as we started talking about it, I thought, oh, you know, it's love. It's love. It's we carry forward our past, you know, the generations before us. us and and DNA is what ties us together and I I found it to be so fascinating like Dave says I don't have the training in that but I have come to understand how important it is

to carry those legacies forward and so so that kind of started off the journey of um of all of this and then and then my continued journey into sharing stories and and I'm also a genealogist. I love genealogy work and I have a mother who was a master genealogist. And so so understanding how DNA is carried forward

through the generations and and so reading the ancestors from 200 years ago, I think, oh,

you know, and you continue as we carry you forward and so on, you know, and so that's the neat thing um I found in starting this business. So that was kind of the early stages of the business. And then we just kept talking and talking and then you know we were writing things out and really brainstorming how can we do this in a way that's meaningful and not just to sell jewelry or to sell a product or it's so much bigger than that for the both of us I believe um and and so so that's how it all started and then we just continue to grow continue to you know listen to other people's stories and and see what we can do to bring it all together Wow. I really like that. I really like that. And Stephanie, I'm so excited to hear that you're a genealogist. Also, just, you know, a little talent I'm just going to keep in my back pocket.

Let's talk.

No. And I Yes, I am so grateful to my mother. Um, she since passed. She had polio uh as a child and so she was one of the last ones before the vaccine. Um, who was struck with that virus. And so, so I think a lot of my work stems from watching her as a child just day to day struggle to do the things that most of us take for granted. And so I think as I watched her and so because of that, she wasn't able to walk very well, you know, so she just would be at her computer and she did thousands and thousands of hours of pulling our family stories together, which was so neat. And so so I see that legacy of DNA truly of we carry our ancestors forward and and so so that was another beautiful part of this whole process.

Yeah. Wonderful. Wonderful. All right. Now, this question is for the two of you. Do you have any mentors and role models who supported you during your journey? Maybe Steph, you can go first and then Dave you can jump in.

Oh yes. I so many people you know and and there are people within my circle and there are people that I've met for the first time and I think that's the beauty of this work I think is connecting with people from all over and just truly um understanding their journey and and hearing their journey. That's what I love most of all. But um so yeah, Dave has been so instrumental in helping me understand the science part of all of this and really learning how connected we are in the world truly. I love um from plants to space to all the things. And so so that's been a beautiful part of this process of learning the science behind it. But I truly think it's the people and that's um what I found to be just a really neat thing and starting this business and then just getting to know you and and realizing like, oh, what a neat thing that we're all doing our part in this world. Yeah.

To bring to and to stories and to connection and all the things.

Wonderful,

Dave.

Yes. I would say I've had a couple of mentors um and just inspiring people in my, you know, in my journey. Um I mean, I'll go back to, you know, like I say in once I hit college, junior college, you know, there were a couple of professors. Um

the woman that taught chemistry And you know, I went to Somerset County College back in New Jersey at the time. Um,

and she was an excellent teacher and I just really understood and got, you know, I love to get the A's on the tests and really kind of, you know, but I really understood it and really was motivated by that. Um, so getting through school, you know, and then there's a couple of professors that I did my graduate research with, right? and they, you know, they're people that really were special in my career and they wanted to give back some of their time, um, some of their energy. Um, you know, there was a a guy that I worked with in Denver who, you know, Dr. Shanfield Moses,

who was my PhD adviser, and he was a a great stepping stone in my career. He was a real

a force in, you know, teaching me the right way to do it and just giving me the opportunity. So, a couple times in a career, I found like somebody has to give you a chance and see what's in you and open a door for you that maybe

doesn't have to open. And then that's what then that, you know, and kind of in my later stage of my science career, I'm hoping to be able to do that to some people too. You know, give back a little bit and just give people an opportunity to shine.

Um,

it's in them, you know, it's in there, but sometimes we all just need that chance. um

to get that break.

Wonderful. I really like those stories. And now considering your journey, what advice would you give your younger selves? And maybe Dave, you can go first and then Steph jump in.

Oh man, that's a great that's a great question. Um

um I you know I don't know. I think it's just I think what Stephanie mentioned earlier in the other episode like it's persistence. It's just staying with it and things. So Um, advice I would give is just stay on track, stay on course, like try to maybe almost like sports, like try not to get too high in the highs or too low in the lows. Try to just be

a little

more steady, but it's, you know, it's hard. There's there's going to be ups and downs. It's a roller coaster in some ways, but um,

just stay with it and be true to yourself.

And also, I love one thing I love about the business that we're doing here together now is, um, we're doing good things for people. know in this world that's it's complicated. It's a hard world in a lot of ways. You know,

yeah,

we're doing some good things for people, connecting them with their loved ones, whether it's a person or a pet,

their stories, and um

so it feels good in that way. It feels good to kind of give back. So, my advice would just be follow your heart, stay true to yourself, and and go for it.

Wonderful stuff. I love this question. Uh my younger self, I know if I could go back in time, I would just say believe in yourself. You know, I think that's been a struggle for a lifetime of, you know, just a world where I thought, oh, I have to perfect at everything I do and everything has to be just right and don't mess up and and now I just think, oh, get uncomfortable and and I think that's been something that I've had to learn how to do of just saying go for it and believe in yourself and you know, you're going to get all the outside voices that say, "I don't know about that and I'm not sure about that." And I think when it really comes down to it, I would just let little me know like, "You've got this. You've got this." And and just to really go for it and be smart about it and study it and and just

yeah, just go for it. That's all I can say because that's not an easy thing for me to do. And I tend to put all the things, are they in line and is this going to work? And I think if I have any advice for any it's just believe in yourself and just go with your passion. Go with your passion because that's brought here to do. And so so when I see Dave with his science and when his brain's going and I just think you were meant for this even though that's not my thing, you know, I can admire so much. And I see that with so many people around me of go with that. What is your gift

and really just that gift and and believing in it and saying, "Yep, this is what I know." So, so yeah, I think that's probably what I would tell my younger self. But yeah,

excellent. I think both of those are fantastic pieces of advice.

Agreed.

So, now what is next for DNA is love? We're hanging on the edges of our seats. So, Dave, why don't you tell us?

I mean, I think it's just the evolution. I think just more of the same in a way. Um, you know, I mean, we may tweak the product menu, we may tweak

the process or the ordering or whatever, but I think that what's going to stay the same is we're trying to connect people. We're trying to do good things for people. We're offering people an opportunity to gather samples, put them together in whatever combination they want that maybe is not out there um for other people. So, just stay the course on that and um just evolve with it and just stay true to our mission. You know, that's That's what we're I would say.

Excellent. And I like how you um chose the word evolution and you're working with DNA. Like it's like science because the DNA is changing.

I really like that. I really appropriate. And I think that also is such a wonderful response too because that is what we um really enjoy about speaking with all of our entrepreneurs, right? They're always looking for the next thing. And like I said, you both are already in 2050. So, you know, whatever the next thing is is going to like, you know, shoot you forward to like 2070 and we're we're just going to have to catch up. But it was so lovely.

Beautiful. Yeah, I love that, too. I love our science jokes

for sure.

All right. So, to end this segment and our wonderful, wonderful conversation, we are going to wrap up with the favorite segment of all. We call it life lights. Those are the twinkle lights going off. And so with this final segment, it's just our fun way to end a conversation and also a way to give a view of our guests outside of what you do for your work. So Dave and Stephanie, we'd love to hear from both of you for this one. If you can please share with us what brings light and enjoyment to your life outside of your work.

Let's start with Steph,

right? So many things. I I feel like I'm a lifelong learner. I love learning about new things. So, my latest thing is bird watching of all things. Um I love to just go out into nature and study birds and and I never thought that would a passion of mine and all of a sudden now a whole new world has opened up and um and so I think for me just being out in nature and seeing the beauty that is and and now understanding I have my little binoculars. My kids make fun of me all the time. But it's so cool to be out wherever I go now and just say, "Oh, hey, there's a large and so so yeah, so that brings a twinkle to my life and um and just being with people and you know learning their stories whether from 200 years ago or for today. Um um just sitting with people and and learning more about them. So, so those are my twinkles, my highlights.

Twinkle lights. Dave, how about you? What are your life lights?

Yeah, I would say too, it's like um I agree with Steph in a lot of way. For me, I'm a nature guy, too. I love to get outside and um be outdoors. I love sunsets um and just the sky. I like to take photographs of, you know, nature pics. um just see people out at a park, just kids and families and stuff having fun walking their dogs,

enjoying the time, enjoying the weather. Um so sometimes it's good. I like to unplug and just put my

Yeah.

put the electronics away, put the stuff down and just get out there and see the beauty that's all around us, you know, in nature. And um I'm a bit of a Yeah, I love to take a lot of nature pics and stuff like that. So that's kind of one of my side passions.

Wonderful. I love that. I'm a nature girl as well. It's wonderful. It just brings a different kind of calm to mind for sure.

So, I love that.

Yeah. I was also going to say, um, Stephanie, I feel like you keep saying you're not a science person, but you're doing the bird watching. Like, that also is a science in and it of itself. I feel like it's fair, honestly.

I am getting done with that then.

Yeah. You get an honorary degree, right?

Yes. There you go.

Exactly. Exactly. Oh,

excellent. Thank you so much for sharing and thank you again so much for coming on to share your story with us and the amazing work that your company does. We really look forward to following up with you in the future to hear about the next phase in your journey.

Oh, thank you both so much. It was such an honor to sit here with you. So much fun to get to know you. Thank you. Thank you.

Yeah, definitely. Thank you so much. We really appreciate it time.

And so once again, listeners, you can Reach Dave and Stephanie through their website dnislove.com where you can learn more about them, see examples of the amazing work that they've done, and put in an order of your own. And we'll be sure to include that link in the show notes. And on that note, we'd love to thank our listeners for supporting the podcast. If you enjoy the show, please leave us a review on your favorite podcasting app. Reviews help us by increasing visibility for the show. And as always, you can reach us by email lovescienceodcast@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you. Until next time. Bye everyone.