Stephanie Venn-Watson, DVM, MPH – USA
Stephanie Venn-Watson, DVM, MPH, is a serial entrepreneur of for-profit and not-for-profit companies. She is a veterinary epidemiologist and public health scientist with over forty patents and seventy peer-reviewed scientific publications. Stephanie is currently the Co-Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Seraphina Therapeutics. Previously, she served as an epidemiologist tracking diseases for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization. She is a recipient of the 2025 CNBC Changemaker Award.
In this episode, Stephanie discusses:
– her work at CDC and WHO, setting up infectious disease surveillance systems,
– being recruited by the U.S. Navy to help understand and improve the health and wellness of the Navy dolphins, a population that was already living significantly longer than dolphins in the wild,
– her research, funded by the Office of Naval Research, studying why some dolphins age more healthfully than others,
– researching which molecules predicted the healthiest aging dolphins and then, the groundbreaking discovery of foundational nutrient, C15:0,
– publishing research results that have been revalidated by independent teams throughout the world,
– working to identify the best ways to incorporate C15:0 in our daily diets,
– exploring the parallels between the ways aging affects dolphins and the ways aging affects humans,
– how, as an undergrad, her plan to go to medical school was affected when by two events: reading The Coming Plaque and meeting a veterinary epidemiologist,
– observing how dolphins demonstrate the power of community,
– the opportunities that missteps can create,
– her book, The Longevity Nutrient: The Unexpected Fat That Holds the Key to Healthy Aging,
– the importance of following your moral compass,
– and, in her words, “When you find your purpose, or probably more likely, when your purpose finds you, grab the reins and hold tight and enjoy the ride.”
