Keep Loved Ones Close Forever with DNA

Discover the groundbreaking process of preserving your pet's DNA in this episode of Vetsplanation. Learn how Dave and Stephanie from DNA is Love are revolutionizing the way we memorialize our beloved pets and loved ones. From DNA jewelry to keepsake picture frames, explore how this innovative service keeps cherished memories alive forever. Perfect for pet owners, animal lovers, and those looking for unique memorials.

In this episode you will learn:

• How to preserve DNA from pets and loved ones for keepsakes
• The science behind DNA extraction and preservation
• Different types of DNA-based memorial products available
• The emotional and sentimental value of DNA keepsakes
• Step-by-step process of creating DNA jewelry and picture frames
• Insights into the stability and longevity of preserved DNA
• How DNA is used to create personalized, one-of-a-kind memorials
• The difference between DNA keepsakes and traditional memorial items like ashes or paw prints

Resources:
DNA is Love

Transcript

Dr. Sugerman: 0:00

Alright. Hi, everybody. Welcome back to another episode of Vetsplanation. I am your host, Dr. Sugerman. I'm really excited. We have really different guests on today, so I'm excited to talk to you guys. This is Dave and Stephanie from DNA is Love. Something I had never heard of before until I was on another podcast for somebody who does hospice, and we were talking about it, and I was so excited to hear about this. I won't give it away yet but I'm gonna have you guys both introduce yourself first, if that's okay.

Dave Latorra: 0:30

For sure. Yeah. Thank you first of all, for having us on the program. We love this, and we love the chance to talk to you and talk about what we're doing.

Dr. Sugerman: 0:37

Yeah, thank you.

Dave Latorra: 0:38

I'm Dave Latorra. I'm one of the co owners along with Stephanie and my background is a science all the way. Molecular biology. I've been to school with a bachelor's biochem, a master's in microbiology, and I have a PhD in molecular biology. I worked in the corporate..

Dr. Sugerman: 0:56

Having gone through all of that, that's really impressive.

Dave Latorra: 0:58

Oh, thank you. Thank you much. Yeah, I know. I just zipped through, but there was a lot of work and all that and actually, it's interesting because my PhD work led into what we're doing, but it's, it was 20 years later. So that's a bit of a story. Maybe we can get to that. We'll get to that later on and how this all happened. But so I have a strong science background. I worked in the corporate world for a couple decades supporting labs all over the country in different types of more like clinical things, diagnostic things. I have a background in human identification, so kind of paternity and other relationship testing. I have done that a lot. Even doing some other scientific things too, so I've got a strong science background.

Dr. Sugerman: 1:39

Nice. Perfect. And Stephanie, what's your background?

Stephanie Ford: 1:42

Yeah I am Stephanie Ford, I am co owner of DNA is Love. I, I have been in the caregiving field most of my life. I had a mom who had polio, so I think early on I just saw a need for helping those who need a little extra help. And so I think I've always had the heart to do that. I went to school for early childhood education, but then ended up getting into caregiving and hospice. I spent five years over in Beijing, China, and while living over there, yeah, I was able to volunteer in the orphanage. And so that furthered my love for helping people and, and so after I came back to the States, I got into the hospice side of caregiving and have spent the last 10 years doing that. And so when Dave and I were talking about possible business ideas, I just thought it was so neat if we could bring the heart and the science together, like a way to remember the people and the pets in their lives who have made such a difference. And I think over the years, I just saw the stories of these people going through really hard things and just thought, Oh, we need to find a way to remember. And share the stories. So I think that's where my passion lies, is really the stories behind all of it and just remembering the people and the pets that we love. And yeah, so I have a cat who I've had for 13 years, Yeti.

Dr. Sugerman: 3:14

I saw that, yes. Love the name.

Stephanie Ford: 3:18

Yeah he totally looks like a Yeti. We were able to preserve his DNA, so I carry that with me.

Dr. Sugerman: 3:23

Cool.

Stephanie Ford: 3:24

I have three children, and yeah, so in my free time, I just love being outside, and I have taken up birdwatching so that's been a super fun hobby.

Dr. Sugerman: 3:35

I'm assuming you have your kid's DNA as well.

Stephanie Ford: 3:38

I do, I do.

Dr. Sugerman: 3:39

Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 3:40

Yeah, I'm like, okay, cat, and then the kids.

Dr. Sugerman: 3:42

Yeah, I was like, how important is this cat? Is it more important the kids? Yeah.

Dave Latorra: 3:46

I'm wearing a pendant with my, I have my two daughters in here and they just live out of state. That's one thing is, to feel them close when you're, you're doing things, you're around the house, you're with them, you're out on a hike, you're in nature, you can feel that extra bond because you've got a living part of them with you.

Dr. Sugerman: 4:02

Yeah, that's so cool. All right, so let's talk about DNA is love now. So what exactly do you guys do?

Dave Latorra: 4:10

We give people a chance to preserve samples, but not just any samples, like a DNA sample, primarily, is what we're working with. And we make it very easy for people, like just really a simple cheek swab collection for people, and then we, we take that sample that we get, we mail the samples back and forth, and then in the laboratory here that I've got set up, we actually extract the DNA from each person's or pet's sample, I go ahead and confirm that each sample worked, so that DNA is actually extracted, and how much we actually get from each extraction, which is you know, it's just a really good feeling to make sure we're the process works, right? If somebody didn't get collect the sample or something. We want to make sure what we're doing because that's one thing about DNA it's really to the to the outsider the people who are going to get the product back. It's pretty invisible, so you really have to understand what we're doing and trust the process. So we want to make everything as transparent as open as possible. So then we'll take the DNA that's confirmed and we'll actually put it into the jewelry item that you would pick out online. And we have an online shopping. Stephanie does the engraving making it all beautiful and packaged and things like that. So we really personalized it. And the other thing that's cool is we can, we can get creative with it. People can mix different samples together from say two children or two pets. Or family members. We have a picture frame too, on top of jewelry that you wear and things. So that's the idea behind it from the science side. And maybe Stephanie wants to talk about the other side of it.

Dr. Sugerman: 5:50

Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 5:52

The heart side of it. Yeah, no, I know. And so yes, we want to create a living reminder of someone in your life, and that was really the hope when we started this business. And I think coming into it from my background, I'm just seeing how important it is to carry on the legacy and the, the reminders of the people who have made such a difference. And, and so I have a passion for stories. And so there's a section on our website that we can share about these people. And I think, when you're with someone at the end of life, you just realize, Oh, the world needs to know who you are. You are this amazing, strong fighter who, who has done so much good. And so that is my hope and whether living or past, and I think we all have stories of really incredible people and pets in our lives. And so it's been really neat to work on this, work on the business and then, and work with good people who are wanting to remember their loved ones. And so we've had some really cool stories. We've done horse DNA, and..

Dr. Sugerman: 7:06

Yeah, I saw that. That was very cool.

Stephanie Ford: 7:09

And it was neat because we weren't able to get it the first time. And so we redid the swab.

Dr. Sugerman: 7:14

Oh my gosh, they have such giant cheeks. I would have thought you would have gotten so much.

Stephanie Ford: 7:17

Yeah. You would think. You would think. And so that's what I love about our process is that we're able to confirm that we were able to get the DNA. And I just love that it's a living blueprint. It is literally a one of a kind gift, and literally. And so that's what I love. It's just a living reminder of someone in your life.

Dr. Sugerman: 7:40

I feel like we get this so much that people have, your, your heart pet. That pet that's you've been really, really bonded to. And people want to be able to cherish that. I do, unfortunately, a lot of euthanasias. And, a lot of times people will get like a hair sample back. That's gonna degrade. You're going to get a paw print, but it's not quite the same as touching their paw. You're going to get their ashes back, but it's just not quite the same as having like a living sample of them. So I thought this was a really cool process to be able to keep that living sample for them.

Dave Latorra: 8:11

Thanks. Yeah. We really appreciate that. We've, we've gotten the same feedback, Tyler. I, a lot of people are closer and bonded with their pets than they are family members, and unfortunately or something, but they mean so much. And, even in Stephanie's family there, she's got a brother who's had a number of dogs and just, it's just the passion, in their life, him and his spouse's life. They mean so much to people. And then, we've heard that so many times, Oh, I wish you'd heard about you guys a while ago. We had this precious pet that just passed away, right? It's an opportunity to catch a sample while you can. And that's the other nice thing about DNA. It's like we say, we make it extremely easy to do a sample and collect it. Versus something like cremation ashes where obviously you've got to wait for someone to pass and then it just doesn't have the same feeling. It doesn't have the same energy with it in our experience.

Dr. Sugerman: 9:01

Exactly, and even with the ashes, most of the time, with most things that you can make, it's only a very small amount of the ashes that you use. It's not like all of the ashes, which a lot of people don't know. But it was very easy. So I did do your guys process, right? So I, I have two kids who are not very easy to get samples from. Because they assume that I'm going to do a COVID test on them. So.. But it was very, very easy to be able to get their samples and be able to send it in. And, you guys can email me back and confirm that's exactly what, that you got both samples. It was a very, very easy process.

Stephanie Ford: 9:37

And that's so neat. And it was really neat to work on your kids, Oren and Abigail. Yeah, it was really, really neat. We were able to get, I think, 570 from Oren and 540 nanograms from Abigail. And what's neat about DNA, it just takes one nanogram to get the full blueprint. And so to be able to preserve those amounts, and then just hold them for years. And that's what I love about DNA, is that it's so stable, it lasts for hundreds and hundreds of years. There's stories of thousands and thousands of years old, but that's what I love about our process, is that we're able to preserve it in a way where you will have it for a lifetime.

Dr. Sugerman: 10:23

Yeah, I was gonna ask about that, like, how long the DNA stays. Does it degrade? Do you have to add anything to it to keep it stable, or is it just stable?

Dave Latorra: 10:31

It's stable in part because well one is just the chemistry of it, right? Part of it's environmental, but also we're preserving the sample in the perfect solution like it's pristine clean DNA and it's also preserved in a buffer with salt and EDTA-Tris, to get in the, in the weeds with you. But so it's, it's really stable. And then we do put it into the jewelry in a liquid form. But if it would dry down in there, the DNA is still going to be preserved. Like it's, it's, as Stephanie mentioned, they're, they have ancient samples of DNA in much worse shape than this, but we're, we're offering that opportunity for people, plenty of it for testing too, like we're, we're for entertainment purposes and keepsake memorial primarily, but there is utility in this down the road if, the field of genetics is really, in the history DNA has only been around for 80 some years, so who knows where we're heading with this field.

Dr. Sugerman: 11:27

Yeah. I actually listen to a lot of crime podcasts, and so I hear a lot about all the really cool things that happen..

Dave Latorra: 11:34

For sure.

Dr. Sugerman: 11:35

Coming up with DNA. My other question was going to be, so I know you've done a horse and dogs, and I believe I've seen cats on there too. Are there other animals you can do as well? can you do like reptiles and birds?

Dave Latorra: 11:47

Everything living like that will have a sample. Right now, those are the primary pets we've been dealing with are cats, dogs, horses. And so I've got PCR primers that I use to confirm from mammals, primates and things. But, so we could go a little further if somebody has a really unusual sample, but so far, we haven't been there, but scientifically, yeah, it's all, it's all there for us. But primarily we're working with the regular list of pets.

Dr. Sugerman: 12:13

Yeah I always have some sort of reptile, so I feel to me that's a regular list of pets, but..

Dave Latorra: 12:19

True.

Stephanie Ford: 12:19

I love it.

Dr. Sugerman: 12:21

Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 12:21

We'll give it a try. We will do it.

Dr. Sugerman: 12:23

Right? My other question, too, is going to be I know this from reading it on your guys website, but what do you guys do with the DNA afterwards? Is it not put into a database? It's, you don't store it or anything, correct? Right?

Dave Latorra: 12:36

That's correct. Tell her we don't do any data at all with the DNA. I extract the DNA, preserve it, put it into the jewelry, and then just following bio safety standards. We'd get rid of any access on a tube or a tip, but everything possible that we can put into the product, we put into the product. There's no leftover kept, there's no security, there's no account login passwords access like that. So I do know some of the other, people are a little eerie with DNA, right? It's the most personal information they have. We're again, we're very transparent, we've got our privacy and security policy on there, but we're, we're just doing this to, basically, we're giving the opportunity, turning around the sample from a swab into DNA and back into people's product and as easily as possible for them. Nothing from, What we're doing here is ever retained or used beyond that

Dr. Sugerman: 13:30

Nice. And then you guys do a certificate with it too, right?

Stephanie Ford: 13:34

Yes. Yes. We do a certificate of authenticity. And so once Dave's confirmed the amount by PCR I'm able to go in and create just to show you how many nanograms we got. And like I said, we were fortunate, I think for the horse, we got maybe six nanograms. So it wasn't as many as the human, I know, which surprised me.

Dr. Sugerman: 13:53

Yeah, it's so surprising. Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 13:55

Yes. And so I'm always fascinated by what we get, and then my cat, we think had 600 nanograms. Yes, so it's just a way to confirm with you that, yes, we did this, this is what we were able to get and, and then confirm it. And yes, you get a certificate and then your product as well.

Dave Latorra: 14:14

And just go a little deeper on that too you know, every sample is a little bit of different complexity and that's just the environment that's, you know, though you're swabbing a cheek sample and there's other solutions and things and so and as Stephanie mentioned, PCR is typically done with really one nanogram of DNA, sequencing takes a little bit more but there's we're continuing to optimize, but we've got a very elegant, very nice way that we extract the DNA. We use the magnetic separation technology. Once we break open the cells, then we capture it onto these DNA magnetic beads and then we wash the solution. And then at the end of the process, we, we let it go off the beads. So we do a really nice job. It's really pure, really top quality samples that we're getting out.

Dr. Sugerman: 15:00

So how do you confirm that you have the DNA? Like how do you know for sure?

Dave Latorra: 15:05

Yes. So I just mentioned we use a process called PCR. It's polymerase chain reaction. A lot of people have heard of it from COVID testing, right? Basically you're amplifying a little tiny piece of DNA of all the DNA that's there. That's just diagnostic for what you're looking for. So in our case, it's either human or cat or a dog, there's some specific primers for each species that were in the literature and we've done our homework and we know so when we've tested it out thoroughly, so, so with that process, we get the DNA and then I'll run every sample with this PCR to confirm that we want to make sure it's present, first of all, like that it worked, the extraction worked. And again, somebody could have just not understood the instructions on how to swab or, whatever happens. So we confirm each one and then we also can tell the amount we run some standards. You can run DNA standards of known amounts to compare it to. So that's how we can tell how much that we get out of there. And then once that's all good to go. We put it into the product and package it up and get it back on its way

Dr. Sugerman: 16:09

I can imagine, probably, the horse, you probably got a lot of the food product as well. Since they just eat all the time. Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 16:16

Yes. You got it. It was just a little dirtier in the tube. Yes.

Dr. Sugerman: 16:21

Exactly.

Dave Latorra: 16:21

Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 16:23

But, but if we don't get a sample on the first time, we will ship you another collection kit because we really do want to make sure this is done accurately and right, and so yeah, however many times it takes, we will get that sample.

Dave Latorra: 16:36

And it's rare that we don't get it to work the first time, Tyler too. And even like you said your kids are a little tough to sample from you did a great job.

Dr. Sugerman: 16:44

Thanks.

Dave Latorra: 16:44

It's really straightforward. And so that is one thing that's cool is we've made it easy for people. So this idea for DNA is love goes back a couple of decades, right? And it really started, I was doing my graduate research on DNA markers for identification, to identify people. And I needed some samples to test that were, like, related. So I, where do you go? You're a scientist, you go to your own family, right? And at a family reunion we had we got samples, and back in the day, this was 20 something years ago, my mom was a nurse, and so she actually took a little blood sample from my parents, my brothers and sisters and I, and they gave me some grief on that over time, and I used that and worked up these markers, and that led to the idea of, okay, I have my family's DNA, what can I do with this? Okay, I want to combine it. I want to put it into something and preserve it and hold on to it. But in the meantime, technology's evolved, right? And now from a just a simple cheek swab so there's no, no, no sticks, no pricks, no finger pricks, just no blood collection. Just really easy and, and you went through it. Your kids they did a great job. You did a good job with them.

Dr. Sugerman: 17:49

Yeah. I'm so glad we only had to do a cheek swab and not any blood.

Dave Latorra: 17:54

Totally

Dr. Sugerman: 17:55

Yeah. We would not have gotten that sample. I would've gotten you a dog blood much easier.

Dave Latorra: 18:00

Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 18:00

I think the cool story behind that, though, is Dave did that, how many years ago did you take..

Dave Latorra: 18:05

It was 20 years ago. If not, 20 something years. Yeah

Stephanie Ford: 18:09

And then as we were working on the business, Dave had his DNA samples on these sheets of paper and we were able to rehydrate and bring it back to life and confirm it all these years later. And so Dave was able to combine it into one of our pieces of jewelry. So he has his parents, even though they've been, which is really cool to be able to hold on to that and just have that reminder always. And that living part of them.

Dr. Sugerman: 18:40

Right.

Stephanie Ford: 18:40

Is really neat.

Dr. Sugerman: 18:42

And I know, so you're wearing one, Stephanie I can see. Dave, I think I can see yours in there as well, right? Yep. Mm-Hmm, Very cool. Yeah. So I, so you guys have the pendants. I know you have the Infinity one. You said you have the picture frame.

Stephanie Ford: 18:56

Yes.

Dr. Sugerman: 18:57

What, what else do you guys use?

Stephanie Ford: 18:59

So we have some vials.

Dr. Sugerman: 19:01

There was something else.

Stephanie Ford: 19:02

Yeah, we have vials that you can put DNA into. The picture frame is neat because you, a lot of people don't wear jewelry. So for my dearest friend, whom I've known since kindergarten she was so excited and, and wanted her kids samples in a picture frame because she's not into the jewelry thing. And so it was really such an honor to do that for her and her children and then confirm that and then give her this as a gift. And it really it is so powerful and I didn't realize until I watched the whole process happen. I watched my cat process go through and and that was really neat. And then I was also able to get my dad's, which was a long story, but he ended up in ICU unexpectedly. And so I immediately went out to where he was and was able to get a swab in the ICU and have his sample preserved. And so I wear my dad's pendant as well and how grateful I am that I was able to get that. Cause you just never know. And I think that's what I've learned over the years and my experience in caregiving and hospice is you just don't know, what tomorrow brings. And so this is such a neat way just to hold on to someone you love.

Dr. Sugerman: 20:19

Yeah.

Dave Latorra: 20:20

And tyler just expand for just one sec on the picture frame, right? So what we do is we've you know had to source all these products, right? There's actually a vial and it comes out of the frame a little bit and then it's magnetically attached. So we put the DNA sample in the vial, seal it and then it goes back into the frame. But we also will get people to just send us their photo we'll print it out, put it in the frame form, and I mean it makes it, like Stephanie said, like a one of a kind, once in a lifetime product. I almost think of it, we're almost giving people a service, like giving them an opportunity to preserve these samples of people normally they wouldn't have a chance to have, and like you say, once they're gone, once a loved pet is passed, you're just, you're missing, and there's nothing you can do.

Dr. Sugerman: 21:07

Yeah. Exactly. When you put it into the jewelry, is it in some sort of little vial as well, or is it just like in a hole In the jewelry.

Stephanie Ford: 21:18

So it's in a hole in the jewelry. So each of our pieces you just unscrew and then Dave's able to pipette in the DNA. And and so what we recommend is that you don't open it back up just because A, you don't want it to spill out, and B, you don't wanna contaminate anything. And so it is there. And then, but we also have the option to add the extra vial that you can just hold on to for safekeeping. just as peace of mind.

Dr. Sugerman: 21:47

Very nice.

Dave Latorra: 21:47

Yeah.

Dr. Sugerman: 21:48

Such a cool idea.

Dave Latorra: 21:49

Just to add to, yeah, we also have the option to get an extra, just, we have a couple of different kind of vials, like one is a amber vial, another is just a glass vial. And the thing with the storage in the vial is really for long, long term preservation, the best way to store DNA is to dry it down onto a clean, sterile surface, which is the bottom of a vial. So for people that really want to hang on to something for, 50, 100 years, we have that, and we would dry it down on there. It would just stay preserved forever, basically. And then you would just rehydrate it with some molecular water when the time is to come test it and like we say, you know there could be so much more coming in the future diagnostic tests and whatever, you know something with your family inheritance your grandparents So there is some definitely a lot of utility to what we're offering to beyond just the kind of emotional piece to it

Dr. Sugerman: 22:46

How cool. Do you guys have anything else you wanted to add about this?

Stephanie Ford: 22:50

We're excited and we're excited to grow. And, and we do have the option on our website for cremation ashes because we do recognize that not everyone is able to get DNA and and we saw a need and so we've been able to do some products for people that have been really dear. I think the picture frame, I did one for my brother who's had six dogs who are his life over family.

Dr. Sugerman: 23:14

Yeah.

Stephanie Ford: 23:15

And and I was able to put their pictures, all six of them on, on the frame and then was able to help him fill the frame, the vial with their ashes. And that was so meaningful. And he just cried when he opened the gift because it meant so much. And so they have a dog now that we were able to get the DNA. She's been a trooper. It was our test dog for all of this. And so he's able to have her DNA with him. And he's so grateful. He said this means so much. And I think that's the beautiful part of it is just hearing people say the peace of mind it gives me when I look at this is huge. And that's what we want to build is just creating connection between our family members, between pets, friends, whoever has made a difference in your life. Just hold on to that.

Dr. Sugerman: 24:07

How did you guys come up with the name real quick?

Stephanie Ford: 24:10

Yeah, that was a process. We went all over.

Dr. Sugerman: 24:13

I'm sure.

Stephanie Ford: 24:14

We had different options, but I think one time we were out hiking on a business meeting and I just, and we thought, DNA is love. It literally is. It's what ties us together for generations. And I think I have a huge passion for family history. I had a mother who recorded all of our family histories and I realized, Oh, I carry the DNA of these incredible people who lived hundreds of years ago and keep that legacy going and how cool it is that I literally carry a part of them with me and, and that's what I love about this idea that DNA is love. It's, it's amazing. What ties us to each other. We're so much more alike than we are different. That's what I love of just realizing, we really are. We're 99.9 percent the same. And yes, and that's what I love. It's just Oh, we are the same. And we have that 0.1 percent variation that makes us so unique. And that's what I hope people can carry with them. And that's what we would love to build.

Dave Latorra: 25:22

Yeah, I would just add, tyler we had it down to a couple names, right? It's like when you're naming your kids, right? You have it down. So I think it was DNA is Forever and then DNA is Love. And so we, we thought thought, check it out with friends and family, and then it really is it's cool how it came together, cause sort of it is stephanie and I different backgrounds coming together to bring this thing to life. I'm the DNA part. She's the love, the heart part. So having those two things together is cool. And then also you asked like to summarize I would just first of all I want to thank you for having us on and letting us do this I think our biggest challenge so far has been just getting the word out there and explaining to people. We are I think we're quite different than anything people have heard about. So all these are really good opportunities to help us get our message out, spread the word, explain to people what we're doing and we really enjoy it. We really thank you for the opportunity to talk with you. And also, on the other side, we thank you for ordering and believing in what we're doing, trusting us. And we hope you're going to really get a lot of joy and happiness with your sample and, all, all from there.

Dr. Sugerman: 26:27

Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. I'm really excited about it. And I said, I, I just, for having done so many euthanasias, I just know that there's only so many things you can do with the ashes, but it's just so just, I don't know, there's just a different connection when you just have something that's a living piece of them.

Stephanie Ford: 26:43

Absolutely. Absolutely. So thank you.

Dr. Sugerman: 26:47

Yeah, of course. Thank you guys. I really really appreciate you guys coming on, and just explaining everything to us. And I'm hoping that so you'll get so many more people doing this because I think it is just such a huge service.

Stephanie Ford: 27:00

Thank you.

Dave Latorra: 27:00

Yeah, we really appreciate that.

Dr. Sugerman: 27:02

Of course, thank you guys. All right, everybody as always make sure to keep your pets happy, healthy, and safe. Thank you guys.