Gerald Hanks
A Houston-based company is reportedly developing a dating app designed to match daters by their genetic profiles.
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Genetics specialists at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston are reportedly developing an app, which can match users by their DNA signatures.
The app, known as “Pheramor,” is said to use genetic material gathered from participants and matches them based on 11 genes linked to pheromones – the hormones signaling sexual attraction.
In addition to the usual aspects of an online dating profile, Pheramor users would reportedly be asked to swab the insides of their cheek and submit a DNA sample.
From there, developers would then process the sample and analyze the user’s pheromone signature; the app would then match users based on both their pheromone profile and their social media posts.
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During an interview on her project, Brittany Barreto, the geneticist who developed the concepts behind Pheramor, claims the idea of “love at first sight” is a bit more like “love at first sniff:”
“Genetic-based human attraction has to do with pheromones,” Barreto said in an interview with a Houston newspaper. “So, we’re smelling each other, trying to figure out who is the best person to mate with. And that’s what love at first sight actually is. It’s smelling someone’s pheromones from across the room, and your brain says, ‘Oh my Gosh, that’s the most perfect pheromone profile I’ve ever smelled in my entire life. I love them.'”
Since the app will use existing data from the participant’s DNA profile and online postings, developers claim it could eliminate much of the exaggerations or evasive answers found in self-reported dating profiles.
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The Pheramor development team also includes Bin Huang, a Rice University student said to be pursuing his doctoral degree in computational biology, as well as Asma Mizra, the company’s young CEO.
“We want to help the ones who don’t have time to go on seven bad first dates,” Mirza said in an interview. “For us, with this app, our data will be able to tell you whether you’re wasting your time or not.”
The team expects to “soft launch” the app in the Houston market in February 2018.
Genetic based dating app maybe be coming to a phone near you. Pheramor INC. CEO and Co-Founder Asma Mirza explains on @FoxFriendsFirst with @jillianmele and @ToddPiro >>https://t.co/gI9e5DDh5U pic.twitter.com/vBSfeJUr5T
— Morgan Cody (@Morgan_Cody_1) December 28, 2017
Pheramor dating app guarantees sexual chemistry THE NEWS – GROUP OF WORLD – https://t.co/bFLXZtUueI pic.twitter.com/cb6bIOti9B
— Newsgw (@newsgwcom) December 27, 2017
