Amid growing interest, Shift Bioscience is pioneering the use of generative AI to reverse ageing.
- Launched in 2017, the startup focuses on using AI to rejuvenate cells and tackle age-related diseases.
- Recently, the company secured £12m in seed funding to advance their innovative cell simulation platform.
- The funding was led by the Business Growth Fund, highlighting confidence in their AI-driven approach.
- Shift Bioscience’s technology aims to address the increasing prevalence of age-related illnesses due to rising life expectancy.
Founded in 2017, Shift Bioscience is at the forefront of groundbreaking research aimed at reversing the ageing process through the application of generative AI. With a focus on using AI models to understand gene activation for cellular rejuvenation, the company seeks to mitigate the effects of age-related diseases.
The recent £12m seed funding, led by the Business Growth Fund, is intended to support the development of Shift’s pioneering AI cell simulation platform. Dr Daniel Ives, CEO of Shift Bioscience, emphasised the importance of overcoming current limitations in cellular reprogramming to treat age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis.
The significance of this investment is underscored by demographic research highlighting an ageing population in England, with 40% of individuals over 50 and 20% over 65. Shift Bioscience leverages its AI platform to safely predict gene sets capable of rejuvenating cells, aiming to combat these prevalent conditions.
Prior to establishing Shift Bioscience, Dr Ives honed his expertise at the prestigious Francis Crick Institute. The funding initiative also saw participation from F-Prime Capital, Kindred Capital, and esteemed investor Jonathan Milner, who has now joined the board of directors. This collaborative effort indicates strong belief and potential in Shift’s AI-centred strategy for addressing age-related health challenges.
Tim Rea, head of early-stage investments at BGF, underscored the significant opportunity presented by Shift’s platform, which skilfully combines machine learning with lab-based biology to tackle the pressing challenges of ageing and disease.
Shift Bioscience’s innovative approach exemplifies how AI can be harnessed to address pressing healthcare issues associated with an ageing population.
