About
about
Research and innovation across the full spectrum of biotech
Overview
QB3 is one of four California Institutes for Science and Innovation, a multicampus operation with departments on the UC campuses at Berkeley, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz. QB3’s domain is the “quantitative biosciences,” a multidisciplinary area encompassing the study of biology using techniques and technology derived from chemistry, physics, and computer science.
QB3 supports early-stage commercialization in biotech and pharma, and conducts basic and applied research. Commercialization programs, including incorporation, mentorship, and the Bakar Labs incubator, are largely run out of the QB3-Central office, currently at UC Berkeley. QB3 entrepreneurial programs welcome participants and founders from academia and industry, who need not have affiliations with UC.The institute was founded with the goal of laying the foundations of future industry in California.
QB3-Central also coordinates collaborative research bringing together scientists from all three campuses. The three campus divisions operate core facilities and administer research programs. See Research for details.
Our Team
The people who make things happen
Our core team, who run our operations across the spectrum from basic research to startup support. We’re always open to new ideas and initiatives.
Spotlight
Startup Alums
We’ve supported biotech startups since 2005 with incubator space, programming, and VC investment.
4D Molecular Therapeutics
4D Molecular Therapeutics develops gene therapies for patients with eye, lung, and heart conditions. The company is currently running four clinical trials, for Fabry disease, X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, and choroidemia, and recruiting for two: for cystic fibrosis and age-related macular degeneration. 4D was incorporated in 2013 through QB3 and incubated at QB3@953 (now an MBC Biolabs location). QB3 executive director David Schaffer is a co-founder.
Caribou Biosciences
Caribou Biosciences, a spinoff from the UC Berkeley lab of Nobel laureate Jennifer Doudna, develops off-the-shelf CRISPR genome-edited cell therapies for patients with devastating diseases. The company has two trials in progress of CAR-T cell therapies for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Caribou was co-founded by CEO Rachel Haurwitz (PhD, UC Berkeley), incorporated through QB3, incubated at two QB3 facilities, and was an early portfolio company of QB3-affiliated VC firm Mission Bay Capital.
Pivot Bio
Pivot Bio manufactures living microbial-based nitrogen fertilizers, produced by fermentation. This replaces the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process, thereby reducing greenhouse emissions. The technology also eliminates toxic fertilizer runoff. Pivot introduced the world’s first nitrogen-producing microbes to U.S. farmers in 2018. Since that time the company has introduced multiple microbial nitrogen products for wheat, sorghum and other small grains in addition to its flagship product for corn. Pivot was co-founded by CEO Karsten Temme (PhD, UC Berkeley) and CTO Alvin Tamsir (PhD, UCSF) and incubated at the QB3 Garage at UCSF.
Bolt Threads
Bolt Threads develops high-performance materials through sustainable, green processes. Their initial product was MicrosilkTM, inspired by spider dragline silk and produced through synthetic biology. Founded by CEO Dan Widmaier (PhD, UCSF), CTO David Breslauer (PhD, UC Berkeley, and Ethan Mirsky (PhD, UCSF), Bolt incubated for several years at the QB3 Garage at UCSF and was one of the Fund I investments by QB3-affiliated VC firm Mission Bay Capital. Further products include MyloTM mushroom leather and B-SilkTM protein, an alternative to silicone elastomers.
Past and Current
Companies
- Siren Care
- Panazee
- Invitae
- TeselaGen
- ARIZ Precision Medicine
- DotLab
- Velano Vascular
- Abreos Biosciences
- Visana Health
- Pendulum Therapeutics
- Catalia Health
- CinderBio
- XP Health
- Omni Therapeutics
- Pharmajet
- Precision NanoSystem
- G-Tech Medical
- Aquinox Pharmaceuticals
- AnimalBiome
- Elenae
- BillionToOne
- Atreca
- VenomYx
- Knowledge Synthesis
- Provenance Biopharmaceuticals
- Raydiant Oximetry
- Sublime Therapeutics
- Allopartis
- Telo Therapeutics
- AOBiome
- Glycomine
- SillaJen
- pH Pharma
- Trace Genomics
- AccuraGen Holdings
- Lucira Health
- Perlara
- Alio
- Reflexion Pharmaceuticals
- Cyclica
- Kiverdi
- DiscoDisc Bio
- iMicrobes
- True North Therapeutics
- UroDev Medical
- Arcadia Science
- Revitope Oncology
- Olfa Thera
- Valera Health
- Lully
- Pivot Bio
- Auricle
- Endometrics
- Scuba Probe Technologies
- OOTify
- Safe H2O
- Perceptive Navigation
- GT Medical Technologies
- Aikium
- Ripple Foods
- Addition Therapeutics
- Dropprint Genomics
- Profluent Bio
- CellSight Technologies
- Aurora Bio
- Epalex
- Sprint Synthesis
- Script Health
- Novela Neurotech
- Ablexis
- Riffyn
- Scribe Biosciences
- Cor
- Cala Health
- Fibralign Corporation
- Chrono Therapeutics
- HepaTx
- Tierra Biosciences
- ResVita Bio
- Moving Analytics
- Suono Bio
- Xcell Biosciences
- Applaud Medical
- Motum
- Mekonos
- AEENA Dx
- GigaGen
- Ciznor
- Bolt Threads
- Noleus Technologies
- Novome Biotechnologies
- General Automation Lab Technologies
- ChemiSense
- iSono Health
- Orb
- NeuroSave
- Calyx
- Eidos Therapeutics
- OncoSynergy
- Shasqi
- YourChoice Therapeutics
- Nano Precision Medical
- Verinomics
- Invenio
- Bisu
- Catena Biosciences
- Evren Technologies
- Madorra
- Avisi Technologies
- CureMetrix
- Delve Therapeutics
- Caribou Biosciences
- Siris Medical
- River Health
- KuriBio
- Mae
- Tiatros
- Palisade Therapeutics
- Samay
- GenEdit
- Cypre
- Minutia
- Globavir
- Safely Health
- SyntheX
- Third Pole
- ViewPoint Therapeutics
- Wildtype
- Invenio Imaging
- Liquidity Nanotech
- Ohayo Valley
- Multerra Bio
- SiteOne Therapeutics
- Ray Therapeutics
- 712 North
- Gemmus Pharma
- Indee Labs
- OneSkin
- Aluna
- HPI Biosciences
- EYSZ
- Delpor
- Photoswitch Biosciences
- Tueo Health
- PuraCath Medical
- Opus Bio
- Siluria Technologies
- Scaled Biolabs
- Fullmoon Sensors
- InnaMed
- Kenota Health
- Sontina Medical
- Assembly Biosciences
- Felix Biotechnology
- Satoris
- Darmiyan
- Aura Health
- Vivace Therapeutics
- Mission Bio
- Guided Clarity
- Dextera Biosciences
- Potrero Medical
- Bloomlife
- Amarantus BioSciences
- Miroculus
- Valitor
- Spora Health
- Foodsmart
- Catena Biosciences
- MetaMixis
- Survey Genomics
- Prellis Biologics
- Privail
- Via Nova Therapeutics
- Coagulant Therapeutics
- Chameleon Biosciences
- Zeto
- SeaChange Pharmaceuticals
- HOPO Therapeutics
- Alessa Therapeutics
- Tunitas Therapeutics
- MiNDERA Corporation
- Deep Blue Medical Advances
- Diadem Biotherapeutics
- BabyNoggin
- Zephyrus Biosciences
- Circle Pharma
- Obsidio
- InkSpace Imaging
- Aucta Technologies
- Alector
- Sequenta
- Cibiem
- Emme
- Silver Creek Pharmaceuticals
- Lypro Biosciences
- iPierian
- Bell Biosystems
- Blueprint Genetics
- Concentric Analgesics
- Namocell
- Channel Medsystems
- Perlumi
- Encoded Therapeutics
- Mission Barns
- Nobell Foods
- Aromyx
- Kilimanjaro Energy
- DABOmics
- Zymergen
- Axent Biosciences
- REGiMMUNE
- Teralytic
- Replace Therapeutics
- 4D Molecular Therapeutics
- Engine Biosciences
- mFluiDx
- Sano
- Solidus Bioscience
- Nodexus
- BioChoric
- NeuraLace Medical
- Lygos
- Xip
- Symic Biomedical
- Laguna Health
- Radar Therapeutics
- Correlia Biosystems
- Allotrope Medical
- Regel Therapeutics
- LogicInk
- Digbi Health
- Cell Design Labs
- Concha Labs
- Black Sheep Foods
- Alpha Medical
- Therini Bio
- Genetic Foresight
- Luma Therapeutics
- Inapill
- Fauna Bio
- Shade
- Umaro Foods
- Glyphic Biotechnologies
- Calithera Biosciences
- Zenflow
- Jennerex Biotherapeutics
- Unnatural Products
- MD Ally
- Thea Health
- Effector Therapeutics
- GraphWear Technologies
- Pionyr Immunotherapeutics
- Intelligent Implants
- Zoetic Data
- Genesis DNA
- Exogen Bio
- Carmot Therapeutics
- Serotiny
- CV Ingenuity
- Nosis Bio
- Fluxion Biosciences
- Insamo
- Vicinitas Therapeutics
- Ribogenics
- Evercrisp
- Seven Starling
- Droplet
- imvaria
- Ria Health
- Meissa Vaccines
- Razzberry
- EvolveMol
- Omniox
- Fountain Therapeutics
- Vellum Biotechnologies
- ApniCure
- Blumio
- Siolta Therapeutics
- ReCreate Bio
- Novonate
- Arterys
- InnoVein
- Bikanta
- Intact Therapeutics
- Iris Medicine
- Redwood Bioscience
- Karuna Labs
- Osprey Pharmaceuticals USA
- Evolva
- Signum Surgical
- Andes Biotechnologies
- Delinia
- Tangible Science
- MyNurse
- Combinati
- Principia Biopharma
- Ontera
- Sampling Human
- Phyla
- CellFE
- 11 Health