Boston · MA

Brandon Dorr-Swendig

Co-founder & CTO building things from scratch. Hundred-mile runner trying to figure out what's on the other side.

Zena Health · CTO · MIT PhD · 100-miler

01 About

I like to explore, build things and run long distances. Trained as a biological engineer at MIT and ASU, now co-founding Zena Health. I believe the best way to understand the human body is to push your own.

02 Professional

Ventures

Zena Health

Co-founder & CTO · 2026 — PRESENT

Engine Ventures

Frontier Year Fellow · 2025 — 2026

Education

MIT

PhD, Biological Engineering

ASU · Barrett Honors College

BSE, Biomedical Engineering · 4.0 SUMMA CUM LAUDE

Research & Publications

Living materials with programmable functionalities grown from engineered microbial co-cultures

Nature Materials · MAY 2021

US Patent 11,364,174

CryoRelease cold therapy device

Engineering enzyme reactions

toward synthesis of challenging high-value products · PUBLICATION PENDING

MIT Media Lab

Wearable BioFab Device · collaborator

Bolt Threads

Biology Intern

Community & Leadership

MIT CommLab

Communication Fellow

Nucleate Eco

Leadership

Road

Asphalt · PRs

Marathon

CHEAP Marathon · 2024 · 8th overall

2:47:53

Boston Marathon

Apr 2025

2:53:20

Half Marathon

Boston's Run to Remember · 2024 · 5th overall

1:16:15

10K

Gold Star Run for Honor · 2024 · 2nd overall

33:55

Trail

Ultras

Vermont 100

First 100-miler · finished

26:35:42

TARC Summer Classic 40

3rd overall · Cranking on those 10 mile loops. Beautiful day!

6:18:00

TARCkey Trot 6-Hour

5th overall · How many 5K loops can you do in a row?

31.5MI

TARCtic Frozen Yeti 30-Hour

50 miles in 5°F conditions

50MI

Backyard Ultra

12 yards · 50 miles

50MI

Strength

HYROX

HYROX NYC Mixed Doubles

2025

1:14

HYROX BOS Men's Pro Single

2026, registered

—

Writing · Race Recaps

Notes from the long way home.

Race recaps, press, and the occasional thing I learned at mile 88. Newest first.

→