Stowers Institute and Helmholtz Munich Develop RegVelo AI to Predict Cell Fate

In a press release, scientists from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research and Helmholtz Munich announced the development of RegVelo, an AI model designed to predict how cells acquire their identities and the regulatory paths they follow. The research was published on May 11, 2026, in the journal Cell.

RegVelo connects two key areas of single cell biology: methods that estimate how cells change over time and methods that infer the gene regulatory networks controlling those changes. By combining these approaches, the model enables researchers to simulate how cells evolve and identify which genes drive those transformations.

The tool can perform these analyses entirely through computer simulations, reducing the need for laboratory experiments. According to the research team, this capability could support studies in developmental disorders, tumor growth, and regenerative medicine by revealing how specific gene regulators influence cell differentiation.