gene editing

noun

variants or genome editing

: the use of biotechnological techniques to make changes to specific DNA sequences in the genome of a living organism

Fundamental research into the ways by which bacteria defend themselves against viruses has recently led to the development of powerful new techniques that make it possible to perform gene editing—that is, precisely altering genetic sequences—in living cells, including those of humans, at much higher accuracy and efficiency than ever before possible.

—David Baltimore et al.

The era of straightforward genome editing raises ethical questions that will need to be addressed by scientists and society at large.

—Jennifer A. Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

a gene-editing technique called CRISPR

Examples of gene editing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Under her leadership, in 2014 DARPA established the Biological Technologies Office to oversee basic and applied research in areas including gene editing, neurosciences, and synthetic biology. —IEEE Spectrum, 10 Aug. 2024

From gene editing technologies like CRISPR to personalized treatments targeting specific cancers, the potential impact AI could have on human health is staggering. —Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024

By sequencing the fish’s genome and using CRISPR gene editing techniques, researchers were also able to identify the gene that’s responsible for their legs, tbx3a. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Sep. 2024

Used responsibly, gene editing holds the potential to save millions of lives and empower millions of people to lift themselves out of poverty. —Foreign Affairs, 10 Apr. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1990, in the meaning defined above