The term “de novo” means “of new” in Latin, but it’s used most often in research to refer to the origins of something, especially a genetic mutation. Some genetic mutations, such as the BRCA genes related to breast and ovarian cancer, are inherited. Other mutations, however, are de novo — they originated on their own and are occurring for the first time in someone. A de novo mutation may also be called a de novo variant, a new mutation or a new variant. De novo can also refer to a new protein design, the synthesis of molecules into a new molecule or the creation of a new gene.
