Simulation guided cell rejuvenation to defeat the diseases of aging

Aging is the largest driver of disease

If you had been born a century ago, you would have been likely to die around the age of 50. Today men typically survive into their late 70s and women into their early 80s. But this extra life is typically blighted by one or more chronic diseases of aging.

Hallmarks if aging
Lopez-Otin & Kroemer, Cell 2013
Parent holding a babies small hand

Aging is reversed between generations

Each of us developed from a single cell passed down by our parents, yet we’re not born at our parent’s age and we begin our post-development lives in full health. Somehow the biology from our parents is safely scrubbed, renewed and restarted.

Shift can reverse human fibroblast age without inducing stem cell colonies

Yamanaka factors (OSKM) can rejuvenate multiple cell types but also induce stem cell identity, posing safety concerns for therapeutic use. Shift has discovered novel gene-based interventions that rejuvenate cells without inducing stem cell identity (C0) even when continuously over-expressed.

Fibreblasts
Cell aging clock
Gene rejuvenation IP chart

Shift's AI platform has found 6 new gene-based interventions

Shift's platform has discovered 6 gene-based interventions that reverse epigenetic age without inducing stem cell colonies, including a single-gene intervention. We are continuously improving our cell aging clocks, cell simulations and active learning cycles to accelerate future discovery.

Shift can screen small molecules and cocktails for a rejuvenation mechanism of action

Shift can screen up to 2000 molecules In vitro and over a billion cocktails In silico to test for a cell-rejuvenation mechanism of action, with potential to bring forward a first-in-class therapeutic.

Assets and asset-combos

Best in the world for cell simulations and aging clocks

Shift has assembled a talented team of research scientists and advisors who are backed by experienced biotech investors.

Cell simulation
Bo Wang
Bo Wang

Advisor, Prof U. Toronto, Inventor of the cell simulator single-cell-GPT (scGPT)1

1. Cui & Wang, Nature Methods 2024

Cell aging clocks
Brendan Swain
Brendan Swain

CSO, PhD U. Cambridge, Inventor of the first accurate cell aging clock

Brendan received his PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Cambridge, where his focus was on basic research. First as an intern and then as a founder, Brendan began to prototype single-cell transcriptomic aging clocks, helping forge a new direction for Shift. Since 2021, Brendan has led Shift’s science team in the search for new rejuvenating interventions, with the belief that these discoveries could have a massive impact across healthcare.

Lucas Camillo
Lucas Camillo

Head of ML, U. Cambridge, Inventor of the most accurate aging clock2

2. Camillo & Singh, NPJ Aging 2022

Team

  • Daniel Ives
    Daniel Ives

    CEO, PhD U. Cambridge Mitochondrial biologist turned aging clock advocate

    Pantic, Ives, Holt & Spinazzola, Nature Communications 2021

    Daniel received his PhD from the University of Cambridge where he focused on the role of mutations in the mitochondrial genome in rare diseases, embracing computational biology to discover a novel therapeutic approach. In 2017 Daniel founded Shift Bioscience and since then has been on a scientific journey from mitochondria to mouse aging clocks to single-cell aging clocks and, finally, to now: leveraging single-cell aging clocks inside cell simulations to explore the combinatorial space of interventions for cell rejuvenation.

  • David Prior
    David Prior

    Chair, previously NHS Chair
    2018-2022

    From “Sick care” to precision public health

  • Non-exec director
    Non-exec director

    Q4 2024

  • Translation advisor
    Translation advisor

    Q4 2024

Current Investors

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