Amid the hype surrounding all the ways in which generative AI can be put to work to solve any and all problems, one Cambridge-based startup claims the technology can be used to reverse the ageing process.

Founded in 2017, Shift Bioscience is exploring how generative AI models can be used to understand how the activation of different genes can rejuvenate cells to combat the effects of age-related illnesses.

The startup announced on Tuesday it has closed a $16m (£12.2m) seed funding round led by the Business Growth Fund (BGF) to support the development of its AI cell simulation platform.

“Our technology is addressing the current limitations of cellular reprogramming for the treatment of age-related illnesses,” said Dr Daniel Ives, CEO of Shift Bioscience.

According to the company, the increased life expectancy over the last century has given way to a rise in age-related illnesses.

Research from the Centre for Ageing Better found the current English population is the oldest-ever, with 40% of people in the country over the age of 50, and 20% of the age of 65.

Through cellular reprogramming, Shift Biosciences claims it can combat these conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and osteoarthritis.

The company’s generative AI platform has been designed to predict which sets of genes can safely rejuvenate specific cells.

“This investment is indicative of the strength of our approach and is one of the earliest funding rounds for a biotech startup exclusively focused on the rapidly emerging field of cell simulation for target discovery,” added Ives.

Before founding Shift Bioscience, Ives spent three years working at the Francis Crick Institute.

The BGF-led round included participation from F-Prime Capital, Kindred Capital and Abcam founder Jonathan Milner.

“Combining machine learning with lab-based biology, Shift’s well-developed platform represents a significant opportunity to address the growing challenges of treating age-related disease and illnesses,” said Tim Rea, head of early-stage investments at BGF.

As part of the funding deal, Milner has joined the Shift Bioscience board of directors.