The Genetics of Love: Designing the perfect match through DNA

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Caption: Our series By Design looks at the science, and skepticism, around genetic match-making. (Fox Photos/Getty Images)

"When you're using online dating it's easy for you to look at the person and say whether they're pretty, but there's no real way to tell if you're going to have that chemistry with them." - Instant Chemistry Co-Founder
Today there's a galaxy of websites and apps all promising to bring star-crossed lovers together. A new service on offer may make those new-fangled online dating sites seem old fashioned themselves sometimes soon, however. We're looking at it today as part of our on-going project, By Design(external link). Because it promises to take match-making to a new level,
A Toronto-based company, Instant Chemistry, promises to offer singles a more sophisticated way to find their match.... using science. Sara Seabrooke is the co-founder of Instant Chemistry(external link) and its Chief Science Officer.
Looking for love is almost by definition... a lonely task. And it can be truly difficult one too. So we're asking what to make of companies that cozy up to the lonely-hearted, offering hope in the form of products such as DNA Matching.
Daniel Davis (external link)has studied the (external link)role genetics(external link) plays when it comes to romantic compatibility. He's a Professor of Immunology at the University of Manchester, and author of "The Compatibility Gene."
Professor Arthur (external link)Schafer(external link) is the Director of The Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba. He was in our Winnipeg studio.

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Caption: A Canadian company, Instant Chemistry, says a simple analysis of your DNA can help narrow the field as you look for love. (REUTERS/Artur Bainozarov)

Would you use DNA testing to help you find love? Are you comfortable with that level of design in match-making?
Tweet us (external link)@thecurrentcbc(external link) with the #bydesigncbc. Or email us(external link) from our site. Find us on Facebook(external link) too.
This segment was produced by The Current's Sarah Grant.