gene pool - all the genes of a particular group of people or animals

gestation - (the period of) the development of a child or young animal while it is still inside its mother's body

alter - to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change

lifespan - the length of time for which a person, animal, or thing exists

to fertilize - cause to develop an individual by introducing a male reproductive material

to tweak - twist something sharply

plasmid - a genetic structure in the cell that can replicate independently

to halt - to stop something

lineage - direct descent from the ancestors or sequences of species each of which is consider to have evolved from its predecessor

moratorium - temporary prohibition

aberrant - separated from an accepted standard

to bedevil - to cause a great trouble, to harass somebody

genotype - a certain combination of genes in an organism

hybrid - offspring resulting from the breeding of two genetically distinct individuals

trait - a characteristic that can be inherited from a parent. E.g. blue eyes, ginger hair.

mutation - a sudden, unplanned change in the genetic sequence

phenotype - the outwards appearance of a organism

genetic engineering - the science of changing the genetic structure of an animal, plant, or human, usually to make them stronger or healthier

genetic predisposition - an inherited pattern that makes one susceptible to certain disease

to tinker - to make small changes to something in order to repair it or make it work better

peril - great danger, especially of being harmed or killed

quandary - a difficult situation or problem, especially one in which you cannot decide what to do

fertilization - the action or process of fertilizing an egg or a female animal or plant, involving the fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote

embryo - an unborn child in the process of development

to inject - introduce (a liquid, especially a drug or vaccine) into the body with a syringe

genetics - the branch of biology that deals with heredity especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among similar or related organisms

scourge - a source of widespread dreadful affliction and devastation such as that caused by pestilence

heritary disease / genetic disorder - a pathological condition caused by an absent or defective gene or by a chromosomal aberration

labelling - the act of putting a label on something, or labels that are put on something

yield - an amount of something positive, such as food or profit, that is produced or supplied

to rear - to care for young animals or children until they are able to care for themselves

to deem - to consider or judge something in a particular way

to tout - to advertise, talk about, or praise something or someone repeatedly, especially as a way of encouraging people to like, accept, or buy something

tamper-proof - impossible to change

contentious - causing or likely to cause disagreement

to implement - to start using a plan or system

to merge to - combine or join

stance - an opinion or belief about something, especially if you say it in public

to stifle - to stop something from happening or continuing

flux - continuous change

to nurture - to care for and protect somebody/something while they are growing and developing

donor - a person or an organization that makes a gift of money, clothes, food, etc. to a charity, etc.

sacredness - the quality of being very important and needing to be treated with great respect

entanglements - the action or fact of entangling or being entangled

to sidestep - avoid dealing with or discussing (something problematic or disagreeable)

disparity - a great difference

to suffice - be enough or adequate

meddling - the act of altering sth; to intrude

eradicate - to remove or destroy utterly; to eradicate a disease at the embryonic stage

germ-line gene therapy - the introduction of genes into reproductive cells or embryos to correct inherited genetic defects that can cause disease

designer babies - refers to children that have been genetically engineered in the womb to have certain desired qualities

to extract - to remove, pull out; e.g. to extract a disease

benchmark - a level of quality with which other things of the same type can be compared

progeny - the young or offspring of a person, animal, or plant

malformation - the condition of being wrongly formed, or a part of something, such as part of the body, that is wrongly formed

ramifications - the possible results of an action

fortuitous - (of something that is to your advantage) not planned, happening by chance

eugenics - the idea that it is possible to improve humans by allowing only some people to produce children

fetus - a young human or animal that is still developing inside its mother

to set out one's stall - to make the necessary arrangements for the achievement of something and show that one is determined to achieve it

to infringe on - to limit someone's rights or freedom

charade - a situation which is clearly false, but where people behave as if it is true or serious

to lull sb into sth - to make someone feel safe in order to trick them

dystopia - (the idea of) a society in which people do not work well with each other and are not happy

genome - the total amount of genetic information in the chromosomes of an organism, including its genes and DNA sequences.

to harness - to make use of (a source of power, e.g. a river) for some purpose, e.g. to produce electricity or to drive machinery

progeny - the organism or organisms resulting from sexual or asexual reproduction

helix - something, such as a strand of DNA, having a spiral shape.

cystic fibrosis - the most common congenital disease; the child's lungs and intestines and pancreas become clogged with thick mucus; caused by defect in a single gene; no cure is known

to induce - to cause an increase in the transcription of the RNA of (a gene).

to discard - throw something away

pinpoint modifications - extremely precise

selective breeding - the intentional breeding of organisms with desirable trait in an attempt to produce offspring with similar traits

cell the smallest living thing of an animal, plant or human. Brain/cancer cells

integrated combined together in order to be more effective

viral caused by or relating to a virus (= infectious organism)

a blueprint - an early plan or design that explains how sth might be achieved

to condemn - to criticize someone or sth strongly, usually for moral reasons