AI-driven
Cell Therapy
Somite.ai is leveraging big data and AI to introduce novel cell replacement therapies
Somite.ai is on a mission to transform cellular biology into an engineering challenge. We are harnessing AI to usher in a new age of human repair.
// Approach
We’re developing a digital twin of the embryo, i.e. a computational model that simulates the real embryo's development and behavior to guide decision-making.
Constructed from data-rich sources (scRNA-Seq, scATAC-seq, gene expression databases, etc.) our digital twin allows us to leverage Artificial Intelligence to rapidly identify novel protocols for generating new cell types, discover new regulators of cell differentiation, and carry out rapid protocol optimization cycles.
// Somite-derived cell therapy
Cell replacement therapy:
Cell therapy replaces missing, damaged, or diseased cells to treat medical conditions. Recent advances in stem cell research have unlocked new methods for the production of multiple human cell types. However, production of many cell types remains elusive, and existing protocols vary in efficiency, scalability, and robustness.
Somite-derived cells:
Cells of the musculoskeletal system derive from transient embryonic structures called somites. Somite.ai is the only company proficient in producing somite-derived cells efficiently. These mainly include muscle, brown adipose, cartilage, bone, tendon and dermis.
Why AI:
Somite's proprietary digital twin allows us to surface actionable insights and quickly iterate on protocols. A good example comes from human satellite and brown adipose cells, where applying computation analysis and AI allowed us to identify signatures of ligand-mediated signaling with different pathways from those used in an established protocol. A resulting optimized protocol using these predictions helped us increase purity of the cultures from 25% to over 50% without requiring cell sorting procedures.
// Somite cells
Why are somite
derived cells important?
There are a wide range of conditions that involve a loss of somite-derived cell populations. These could all be treated by cell replacement therapy using somite-derived cells.
Metabolic diseases (e.g. Diabetes, Obesity, MAFLD - including NASH)
Brown adipocytes
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), incontinence and muscle injuries
Satellite cells
Joints and cartilage injuries
Tendons and chondrocytes
Connective tissue syndromes (e.g. Hypermobility, EDS)
Connective tissue
Severe burns
Dermis
Why Somite.ai?
We are the only company that can effectively differentiate somite-derived cells and has the ability to leverage data and AI to optimize production protocols.
IP
Our team has authored the seminal patents in the space and we have signed a binding letter to exclusively license the founding patent from the French Association for Muscular Dystrophies (AFM) and INSERM.
Meet the Team
Micha Breakstone, Ph.D.
CEO and Co-Founder
Jonathan Rosenfeld, Ph.D.
CTO and Co-Founder
Olivier Pourquie, Ph.D.
Scientific Co-Founder
Allon Klein, Ph.D.
Scientific Co-Founder
Cliff Tabin, Ph.D.
Scientific Co-Founder
Jay Shendure, M.D., Ph.D.
Scientific Co-Founder
Carl Morris, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer
Kristy J. Brown, Ph.D.
SVP Translational Development
Shai Kivity
VP Operations & Strategy
// Scientific Advisory Board
David R. Walt, Ph.D.
Wyss Institute at Harvard
Brenda Wong, M.D.
University of Massachusetts
Agnete Kirkeby, Ph.D.
University of Copenhagen
Paul Cohen, M.D., Ph.D.
Rockefeller University
Jacques P. Tremblay, Ph.D.
Université Laval
Louis M. Kunkel, Ph.D.
Harvard Medical School
Peter Zandstra, Ph.D.
University of British Columbia
Kendra Harris, M.D.
// Featured publications (authored by our founders)
// Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab
The Blavatnik Harvard Life Lab offers wet laboratories and co-working space for early-stage, high-potential biotech, and life science start-ups founded by Harvard students, alumni, faculty, and postdoctoral fellows.