Rappin' With ReefBum is a LIVE talk show with host Keith Berkelhamer and guests from the reef keeping community. In this episode I chat with Dong Zou from AcroGarden.
Dong has a PhD in chemistry and worked for several pharmaceutical companies in various therapeutic areas including anti-inflammatory, cancer, pain management and anti-infectious diseases.
He developed his first interest in marine invertebrates when he was working as a post doc at the University of Virginia. He has been in aquarium hobby since he was in college and he got into the saltwater hobby in 2004 after setting up his first marine fish tank for a Nemo and after he discovered the Boston Reefers Society.
About 10 years ago, he cofounded his first company on drug discovery. Soon after that, he was able to combine his passion for coral and his experience in the pharmaceutical industry and cofounded a new company, eCove BioMarine. This company focused on aquaculture coral for drug discovery and bone grafting.
His current company, AcroGarden Inc, was then founded to hold the intellectual properties and to study coral farming. AcroGarden is now his primary focus. The company produces aqua-cultured coral, mainly SPS, for the hobby.