In 2007 Eric Holzle founded a service called scientificmatch.com as a DNA matchmaking site for those living in the Boston/Providence region.  The service is based on three MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex) gene pairs that are found in humans.  These alleles are said to indicate a connection between the attractiveness of smells of a potential mate, happiness and compatibility as a couple, and healthiness of offspring.  Some scientific research has shown that the greater the difference between the three gene pairs in the man and woman, the better the match.

Holzle’s matchmaking exploration was inspired by Claus Wedekind’s 1994 “sweaty T-shirt experiment” at the Zoological Institute at Bern University in Switzerland.  The experiment tested sweat smells, attractiveness, and MHC to find the correlation between these elements.  If humans fit in with the theory of evolution, the natural scents that humans emit and are attracted to in one another could be directly connected to the ability of the two to mate successfully (which in modern times would mean to have a happy lifelong monogamous relationship and healthy children).

Why go through the trouble of matching hobbies and values if, in the end, you just aren’t going to be attracted to each other?  Wouldn’t it be nice to find out if you’ll be able to have healthy babies before you even go on the first date?  Holzle believes that scientificmatch.com is the future of matchmaking, but he needs more participants to continue his research.  The cost of a lifelong membership is $1,995.95 so the high price is definitely going to be a factor that dissuades curious singles from experimenting with this new type of service.

The jury is definitely still out on the success of this type of matchmaking and I predict many many years before we will be able to have conclusive results.  If “health of offspring” is a benefit to this type of dating service, then companies like this are going to need to follow up on successful couples who have children to quantify this factor.  The results from experiments so far have been inconclusive and Holzle’s site hasn’t had enough participants to even propose a success rate at this point, but I am extremely curious to see how these scientific ideas find their way into modern matchmaking.

Image: sxc.hu

Post from: Blisstree

DNA-Based Dating Services

This will have large implications for many of couples that are struggling with infertility and the worries that correlate with such problems. Just how did the scientists come to this conclusion when years in past sperm looked no different under the microscope? They had to look further…

“But when we looked for DNA damage, we saw a very different picture,” said Dr. Mallidis, adding that this is not part of a routine semen analysis. “Sperm RNA was significantly altered, and many of the changes we observed are in RNA transcripts involved in DNA repair. And comparison with a database of men of proven fertility confirmed our findings. Diabetics have a significant decrease in their ability to repair sperm DNA, and once this is damaged it cannot be restored.”

via Science Daily

Post from: Blisstree

Male infertility and diabetes- directly related

Here is a tidbit of the interview…

HL: How has finding out that you tested negative changed the way you think about having diabetes?

KJ: Really… none. The test itself shows if you carry the genes that put you more at risk for developing diabetes. And if I read correctly, that is only less than a quarter of diabetics, right? Although it does make me more curious to know if in the near future there will be a way to conclusively determine if you will develop diabetes. I will leave that up to you geneticists!

Would you take part in genetic testing? Do you think that the results would change how you live your life? If you are interested, DNA Direct is offering a $25 honorarium for anyone who takes a diabetes survey. For real, the check will go right to your house!

via DNA Direct

Eye on DNA

deCode Genetics

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Opinions On deCode T2 Test and DNA Direct