# AI tool maps related cell functions across 700 million years of evolution

_Published Monday, September 21, 2026 at 6:08 PM EDT · AI, Science · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![AI tool maps related cell functions across 700 million years of evolution — Primary](https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/hires/2026/ai-tool-traces-125-cel.jpg)

A KAUST-led team has developed Unify, a research tool that compares cell types across distantly related species by analyzing protein sequences and descriptions of gene functions instead of relying only on direct gene matches. In a Nature Communications study, it reconstructed relationships among 125 cell types from seven species separated by more than 700 million years.

The tool also predicted human blood-cell responses using mouse immune-cell data and outperformed existing methods across all genes. The team is still extending it to incorporate gene regulation and cells' positions within tissue.

## Sources

- [Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-09-ai-tool-cell-million-years.html)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/GPfRYfttYiifIm3JvaHCoW
Published: 2026-09-21T22:08:16.559Z
Story chronology: 2026-09-21T21:00:08.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-09-22T00:19:45.854Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)