genetic testing

Cultural  

1. A process in which a person's or an embryo's DNA is isolated and tested for the presence of specific genes or defects that could indicate the future onset of some disease.

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In the United States, genetic testing is most often performed on alert prospective parents for possible problems during a pregnancy or the likelihood of congenital disease in a future child. The privacy of the results is one of the many difficult issues with this practice, particularly as it relates to insurance underwriting.

Example Sentences

Natera is one of the largest genetic testing companies to offer the test.

From Slate • Apr. 25, 2026

Jerash now stands as the first location where a plague-related mass grave has been confirmed through both archaeological evidence and genetic testing.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2026

While the study presented interesting clues, it is too early to move toward genetic testing for GLP-1 use, said Dr. Marie Spreckley, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge working on obesity treatments.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

To solve this mystery, the international research team led by the Sea Mammal Research Unit at the University of St Andrews used genetic testing to determine paternity.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

Tens of thousands of cancer patients and those with a family history of the disease already undergo genetic testing on the NHS every year.

From BBC • Jan. 24, 2026