gene therapy

noun

: the insertion of usually genetically altered genes into cells especially to replace defective genes in the treatment of genetic disorders or to provide a specialized disease-fighting function

gene therapist noun

Examples of gene therapy in a Sentence

advances in the science of gene therapy

Recent Examples on the Web

The company's gene therapy is injected directly into the brain during a surgical procedure. —CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026

Prasad, an oncologist by training who was also serving as the FDA’s chief scientific and medical officer, oversaw the regulation of vaccines, gene therapies, and blood products. —Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 6 Mar. 2026

Prasad briefly stepped down in July, after less than three months on the job, following disputes over the FDA’s decision to pause shipments of a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a neuromuscular disorder. —Aria Bendix, NBC news, 6 Mar. 2026

Criticism of Prasad had been growing and reached a fever pitch when the FDA’s Makary, in an interview with CNBC’s Becky Quick last week, appeared to criticize UniQure’s gene therapy for Huntington’s disease. —Jacob Pramuk,angelica Peebles, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1970, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gene therapy

• brachytherapy
• chemotherapy
• cryotherapy
• hydrotherapy
• hypnotherapy
• monotherapy
• phototherapy
• psychotherapy
• sclerotherapy
• immunotherapy
• pharmacotherapy
• physiotherapy

Kids Definition

gene therapy

noun

: the insertion of a functioning gene into cells especially to replace a defective gene in the treatment of genetic disorders

Medical Definition

gene therapy

noun

: the insertion of usually genetically altered genes into cells especially to replace defective genes in the treatment of genetic disorders or to provide a specialized disease-fighting function (as the destruction of tumor cells)

gene therapist noun