What is the process of changing a gene to treat a medical disease called?

The process of changing a gene to treat a medical disease is called gene therapy. This refers to techniques that allow for the alteration of genes within a patient's cells to treat or prevent disease by correcting defective genes or by adding new ones. Gene therapy can address a variety of conditions, including genetic disorders, certain cancers, and viral infections.

In gene therapy, specific methods may be employed to deliver new or modified genes into a patient's cells. These methods often involve the use of vectors, such as modified viruses that can introduce the therapeutic gene into the target cells. The success of gene therapy hinges on precise manipulation of genetic material to achieve desired outcomes, making it a vital component of modern medical treatments in genetics and molecular medicine.

Other terms such as recombinant DNA refer to the laboratory methods used to create new combinations of DNA from different sources, which may play a role in developing therapeutic approaches but are not synonymous with the treatment process itself. Hybridization typically involves the formation of double-stranded nucleic acids by pairing complementary sequences, and this technique is used in various biological applications. Inbreeding relates to genetic breeding practices in animals or plants to maintain specific traits and does not pertain specifically to gene alteration for medical therapy.