gene therapy

American  

noun

Medicine/Medical.

1. the application of genetic engineering to the transplantation of genes into human cells in order to cure a disease caused by a genetic defect, as a missing enzyme.

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gene therapy British  

noun

1. the replacement or alteration of defective genes in order to prevent the occurrence of such inherited diseases as haemophilia. Effected by genetic engineering techniques, it is still at the experimental stage

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gene therapy Scientific  

1. The treatment of a disorder or disease, especially one caused by the inheritance of a defective gene, by replacing defective genes with healthy ones through genetic engineering.

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gene therapy Cultural  

1. A promising technology that involves replacing a defective gene in the body with a healthy one. This can be done by removing cells from the body, using genetic engineering techniques to change defective sequences in the DNA, and then reinserting the cells. This technique has been carried out successfully, for example, on bone marrow cells, in which defective cells were successfully replaced with healthy, genetically engineered cells. Scientists hope to find an agent, such as a therapeutic virus, that will be able to correct defective DNA in situ. (See cloning vector.)

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Etymology

Origin of gene therapy

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Despite doubts about their effectiveness, Minicircle’s gene therapy and others like it are available at an increasing number of clinics across the world.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Researchers say this new gene therapy works more like a precise volume control that turns down only the pain signal while leaving the rest of the brain unaffected.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

"As soon as that baby is born, if the parents find out their children have got SMA they can start gene therapy and show little to no symptoms," Tony said.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

Prasad had reportedly been involved in the decision to request a new trial for uniQure’s experimental gene therapy for Huntington’s disease.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026

I watch her run back toward the gene therapy room, and then I keep walking.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth