Ann Dover spends a lot of time with a variety of diseases. She’s traveled the world learning about patient care and runs a business that helps researchers globally develop tests to detect or monitor diseases. And after nearly 30 years in the life science field she’s still not concerned about a zombie apocalypse or a monkey spreading an exotic virus around the world.

The president and CEO of Discovery Life Sciences spent her childhood with a scientist father who worked to develop quality control materials as an aid for laboratorians assisting in patient care testing. His work in the medical field inspired her own creation of the Los Osos-based clinical research organization that Dover and her business partner, Steven Raia started, alongside her husband and grown children, to make their own impact in the ever-changing life sciences industry.

Dover recently found an opening in her travel schedule to talk with us about biomarkers, Morgan Freeman’s narration skills, slow moving zombies, and improving people’s lives.

What is the likely hood of a monkey being illegally brought over from Africa and accidently spreading a crazy virus, therefore requiring Morgan Freeman to save the day?
Not likely… however, I envision Chris Hemsworth saving the day, Morgan can narrate.

Zombie movies, how ridiculous are they, really?
I don’t watch them, they scare me. But, could it one day be reality…?  I need to ask Brad Pitt to confirm.

Slow or fast moving zombies?
Slow for sure, I wasn’t built for speed.

What would you say, you do here?
I love my company!  We have a great team of people. We have the opportunity to learn something every day. We work with researchers and scientists within the Life Sciences industry to help advance their new biomarkers, detection technologies and instrument platforms from early stage research and discovery into assay development, analytical validation and clinical development. Our Discovery Partners™ program consists of a network of contracted clinical sites globally. It is wonderful when we are able to see one of our client’s ideas go from inception to market to help improve healthcare for people globally.

What personal quality are you working on?
Listening to understand, rather than listening to respond.

Which living person do you most admire?
My husband Steve. We have been married for 34 years – he is kind, thoughtful, funny, supportive and strong.

How good are you with a pipette?
I used to be really good and even won a contest once!

Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
My family, my dad, my best friends Kim Boles and Steven Raia, Russell Crowe in his Maximus Gladiator costume, HRC, Christine Lagarde, Angela Merkel, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Bob and Debbie Wacker, and… Morgan Freeman to narrate, Bobby Flay to do the cooking (of course), and for music… maybe a little Bruno Mars to get the party going.

What special power would you most like to have?
The ability to heal people, without a doubt. “Everyone has his or her own unique power. It is our responsibility to find that power and use it to the fullest capacity we can in the service of other people”

What is your favorite word?
Yaya/Grandma.

What tops your bucket list?
So many things… Traveling to every continent, seeing my family happy and healthy, cooking classes around the world, continue to learn about everything I can, my list is long and grows with the more I learn…