Can Studying Dolphins Give Insight Into Human Disease?
7:41 minutes
Dolphins can suffer from a syndrome similar to pre-diabetes in humans. But unlike humans, the marine mammals can switch the syndrome on and off. Reporting in PLOS ONE, researchers found that a diet high in saturated fat lowered blood glucose levels in bottlenose dolphins. Veterinary epidemiologist Stephanie Venn-Watson, lead author on the study, explains how studying dolphins could provide insight into human disease.
Segment Guests
Stephanie Venn-Watson
Stephanie Venn-Watson is the director of Translational Medicine and Research at the National Marine Mammal Foundation in San Diego, California.
Meet the Producer
About Alexa Lim
@AlexaLim22Alexa Lim was a senior producer for Science Friday. Her favorite stories involve space, sound, and strange animal discoveries.