gene therapy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Scientific, Medical
Quick answer
What does “gene therapy” mean?
A medical treatment that modifies a person's genes to treat or cure a disease.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A medical treatment that modifies a person's genes to treat or cure a disease.
A biomedical technique involving the insertion, removal, or alteration of genetic material within a patient's cells to correct defective genes responsible for disease development. It can involve somatic (body) cells or, more controversially, germline (reproductive) cells.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: 'therapy' is consistent. Minor usage differences: 'gene therapy' is the universal term; 'genetic therapy' is a very rare, non-standard synonym occasionally seen in older texts.
Connotations
Identical: cutting-edge, potentially risky, ethically complex, and promising.
Frequency
Equally high in medical and scientific contexts in both regions. No significant frequency difference.
Grammar
How to Use “gene therapy” in a Sentence
N (for/targeting [disease])V (undergo/undergoing) NADJ (novel/experimental) NN V (offers/promises) benefitsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “gene therapy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The team hopes to gene-therapise the condition within a decade. (very rare, neologistic)
- Researchers are working to gene-edit the faulty sequence.
American English
- The biotech firm aims to gene-therapy its way to a cure. (informal, figurative)
- They plan to gene-edit the patient's cells ex vivo.
adverb
British English
- The cells were treated gene-therapeutically. (highly technical)
American English
- The disease was approached gene-therapy-wise. (informal, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- The gene-therapy trial recruited its final participant.
- They discussed gene-therapy approaches.
American English
- The gene therapy candidate received FDA fast-track designation.
- Gene therapy research is heavily funded.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In biotech investing: 'The company's valuation soared after promising gene therapy data.'
Academic
In a research paper: 'This study evaluates the long-term efficacy of adeno-associated virus-mediated gene therapy.'
Everyday
In a news article: 'A new gene therapy has given hope to children with a rare genetic disorder.'
Technical
In a clinical protocol: 'The lentiviral vector for ex vivo gene therapy must be titrated precisely.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “gene therapy”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “gene therapy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “gene therapy”
- Incorrect: 'genetic therapy' (non-standard). Correct: 'gene therapy'.
- Incorrect: using it for non-genetic treatments (e.g., CRISPR for non-therapeutic editing).
- Incorrect article: 'a gene therapy' (correct for a specific type/treatment) vs. 'gene therapy' (the field).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is not widespread. A number of gene therapies have been approved by regulatory bodies like the FDA and EMA for specific, often rare, genetic conditions like spinal muscular atrophy and certain inherited retinal diseases. Most are still in clinical trials.
The two main types are somatic gene therapy (targets non-reproductive body cells; changes are not inherited) and germline gene therapy (targets reproductive cells or embryos; changes are heritable. Germline therapy is highly controversial and largely prohibited in humans).
Potential risks include immune reactions to the viral vectors used for delivery, the corrected gene inserting into the wrong part of the genome and causing cancer (insertional mutagenesis), and unintended 'off-target' effects from gene-editing tools.
Traditional drugs typically treat symptoms or target proteins involved in disease. Gene therapy aims to address the root genetic cause by adding, removing, or altering the genetic material inside a patient's cells, potentially offering a one-time, curative treatment.
A medical treatment that modifies a person's genes to treat or cure a disease.
Gene therapy is usually formal, scientific, medical in register.
Gene therapy: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdʒiːn ˈθerəpi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdʒin ˈθɛrəpi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “editing the book of life”
- “a genetic fix”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: GENE THERAPY = fixing a faulty GENE through medical THERAPY.
Conceptual Metaphor
GENES ARE CODE / INSTRUCTIONS; DISEASE IS A BUG / ERROR; GENE THERAPY IS DEBUGGING / REWRITING THE CODE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary goal of gene therapy?