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t m c » p u l s e | f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 9 8 That's why Pheramor takes a cheek swab from clients for DNA sequencing, rather than try to link human attraction to smell. (Confusingly, though, the compa- ny's name merges "pheromone" with "amor," the Spanish word for love.) As the company notes on its website, pheramor.com: "Pheramor fully appreciates that the science of pheromones requires more research." Pheramor also recognizes that humans are highly social. To account for this in the matchmak- ing process, the team at Pheramor analyzes candidates' social media histories before they are matched with potential suitors. "Humans are a more compli- cated animal," Huang explains. "Fifty percent is genetics, but the other 50 percent is what do you like to do? What are your common interests? We try to extract this information from your social media data because we don't want people to answer everything themselves." Some research supports Pheramor's DNA matchmaking. A 2016 study published in Scientific Reports found that the HLA com- plex mediates mate behavior in humans and that subjects were generally most satisfied with their relationship if their partner exhibited a dissimilar HLA type. Researchers found that HLA dissim- ilarity correlates with partnership, sexuality and enhances the desire to procreate. But among scientists, the idea of human pheromones remains a hard sell. In 2018, Richard Doty, a professor of otorhinolaryngology and director of The Smell and Taste Center at the University of Pennsylvania, told Wired magazine: "The notion that there are these magical genes that are somehow associated with smells that perme- ate the environment and dictate our attraction to people is total nonsense. If human pheromones actually elicited the kinds of behav- iors we see in other mammals, the subways of New York City would be in a constant state of mayhem with people hopping all over each other." Barreto and Huang launched the Pheramor app officially in September 2018. "We have thousands of active users and have grown 50 percent month over month," Barreto said, but declined to disclose the compa- ny's revenue. Once users download the app, they receive a DNA kit, do a cheek swab, return the kit and wait for their sequencing to be done. "The app is free, but we charge $30 for the DNA testing," Huang explained. "The processing time for the kits takes 21 business days, but the processing for us can take around one month." The DNA kits are processed at a lab and then returned to Pheramor. Once the data has been collected, users gain access to six profiles per day on the app. The profiles are weighted based on physical proximity of clients first, then on the gender and age each client speci- fied. If two people like each other's profiles, they can begin messaging one another. In the four months the Pheramor app has been live, more than 5,000 messages have been shared between users and 20 couples have deactivated their accounts because they have met a solid match, Barreto and Huang said. It's nothing like designer babies or any- thing like that. It is, essentially, how do your genes affect who you are attracted to and who you jive with the best? How is that inscribed in your genome? — BRITTANY BARRETO, PH.D. CEO and co-founder of Pheramor l e p o w f o o t . c o m 4 0 + y e a r s o f e x p e r i e n c e B o a rd Ce r t i f i e d, A m e r i c a n B o a rd o f F o o t a n d A n k l e S u rg e r y 7 1 3 . 7 9 0 . 0 5 3 0 Texas Medical Center 7 1 3 . 9 5 1 . 5 0 0 0 Downtown Rapid Response Wound Care. Whether it's a severe wound to the lower extremities or a small sore or blister that just won't heal, Doctor Randal Lepow has the solution. He is Board Certified in Wound Care and knows the importance of fast intervention and treatment. He is available to consult with in-hospital patients or on an outpatient basis. Don't let a small wound turn into a big problem. Antibiotics alone usually aren't the answer. Contact our office today to arrange a consultation.