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
- Tiatros
- Safely Health
- Invitae
- Shasqi
- Ria Health
- Tunitas Therapeutics
- Safe H2O
- Chameleon Biosciences
- Fountain Therapeutics
- Concentric Analgesics
- Perlumi
- DiscoDisc Bio
- SeaChange Pharmaceuticals
- HepaTx
- AEENA Dx
- Noleus Technologies
- Meissa Vaccines
- SyntheX
- Insamo
- Mae
- Zephyrus Biosciences
- Fibralign Corporation
- Solidus Bioscience
- Combinati
- Dropprint Genomics
- XP Health
- Black Sheep Foods
- Arterys
- Sano
- Trace Genomics
- Effector Therapeutics
- Siren Care
- Valera Health
- 11 Health
- Nodexus
- River Health
- Evren Technologies
- Genetic Foresight
- AnimalBiome
- Sequenta
- Razzberry
- Photoswitch Biosciences
- Assembly Biosciences
- True North Therapeutics
- iSono Health
- Guided Clarity
- Ray Therapeutics
- Precision NanoSystem
- Intact Therapeutics
- imvaria
- Privail
- Siris Medical
- Madorra
- Velano Vascular
- Umaro Foods
- BillionToOne
- Blueprint Genetics
- Allopartis
- Darmiyan
- Globavir
- Aluna
- Shade
- Novonate
- Bikanta
- PuraCath Medical
- Perlara
- Aikium
- Pionyr Immunotherapeutics
- Prellis Biologics
- Zenflow
- ChemiSense
- Ablexis
- Allotrope Medical
- Alpha Medical
- Exogen Bio
- Bolt Threads
- Serotiny
- Valitor
- Omni Therapeutics
- AOBiome
- MiNDERA Corporation
- Andes Biotechnologies
- Lully
- Therini Bio
- SillaJen
- Ciznor
- Thea Health
- OneSkin
- Applaud Medical
- Eidos Therapeutics
- Zeto
- Evercrisp
- Riffyn
- SiteOne Therapeutics
- Panazee
- Iris Medicine
- Delpor
- Reflexion Pharmaceuticals
- General Automation Lab Technologies
- Glycomine
- Kilimanjaro Energy
- ApniCure
- Wildtype
- Obsidio
- Ontera
- CV Ingenuity
- Cibiem
- Carmot Therapeutics
- BioChoric
- iPierian
- Engine Biosciences
- Invenio Imaging
- Replace Therapeutics
- OOTify
- Aucta Technologies
- Mission Bio
- Circle Pharma
- HOPO Therapeutics
- Zymergen
- ViewPoint Therapeutics
- Aura Health
- Coagulant Therapeutics
- ARIZ Precision Medicine
- Provenance Biopharmaceuticals
- Epalex
- Arcadia Science
- Caribou Biosciences
- Sprint Synthesis
- Namocell
- Xip
- MD Ally
- Scuba Probe Technologies
- Abreos Biosciences
- Signum Surgical
- DotLab
- Omniox
- Delinia
- Correlia Biosystems
- EvolveMol
- Palisade Therapeutics
- Diadem Biotherapeutics
- Delve Therapeutics
- Intelligent Implants
- Concha Labs
- Bloomlife
- Alessa Therapeutics
- Chrono Therapeutics
- EYSZ
- Tueo Health
- Pendulum Therapeutics
- Cypre
- Perceptive Navigation
- Indee Labs
- ReCreate Bio
- Ripple Foods
- Novome Biotechnologies
- Motum
- Suono Bio
- Cyclica
- Endometrics
- Regel Therapeutics
- NeuraLace Medical
- InkSpace Imaging
- Fluxion Biosciences
- Script Health
- Elenae
- ResVita Bio
- Ribogenics
- Spora Health
- Multerra Bio
- Cell Design Labs
- Evolva
- Droplet
- InnoVein
- Osprey Pharmaceuticals USA
- Silver Creek Pharmaceuticals
- Opus Bio
- Glyphic Biotechnologies
- TeselaGen
- LogicInk
- Alector
- 712 North
- G-Tech Medical
- Xcell Biosciences
- Laguna Health
- KuriBio
- Profluent Bio
- Teralytic
- InnaMed
- Calithera Biosciences
- Survey Genomics
- Blumio
- Jennerex Biotherapeutics
- Novela Neurotech
- Atreca
- Bell Biosystems
- Emme
- Channel Medsystems
- Potrero Medical
- Radar Therapeutics
- Seven Starling
- Tierra Biosciences
- Miroculus
- Siluria Technologies
- Cor
- CellSight Technologies
- Third Pole
- Catena Biosciences
- Vicinitas Therapeutics
- Raydiant Oximetry
- NeuroSave
- Invenio
- GenEdit
- Luma Therapeutics
- Genesis DNA
- GigaGen
- GraphWear Technologies
- Satoris
- Aromyx
- Symic Biomedical
- Unnatural Products
- BabyNoggin
- Nosis Bio
- Pharmajet
- Encoded Therapeutics
- CinderBio
- Kenota Health
- Olfa Thera
- Sontina Medical
- Lygos
- Catena Biosciences
- REGiMMUNE
- CellFE
- Minutia
- Revitope Oncology
- YourChoice Therapeutics
- GT Medical Technologies
- Felix Biotechnology
- Ohayo Valley
- Pivot Bio
- CureMetrix
- Addition Therapeutics
- Karuna Labs
- Inapill
- Liquidity Nanotech
- Principia Biopharma
- Samay
- Kiverdi
- Mission Barns
- Knowledge Synthesis
- Avisi Technologies
- Lypro Biosciences
- Fauna Bio
- Visana Health
- Bisu
- Amarantus BioSciences
- iMicrobes
- Digbi Health
- Dextera Biosciences
- Fullmoon Sensors
- Axent Biosciences
- Catalia Health
- MetaMixis
- UroDev Medical
- Orb
- Deep Blue Medical Advances
- 4D Molecular Therapeutics
- DABOmics
- mFluiDx
- Redwood Bioscience
- Gemmus Pharma
- Aquinox Pharmaceuticals
- Phyla
- Siolta Therapeutics
- Mekonos
- Nobell Foods
- Telo Therapeutics
- Calyx
- Sampling Human
- Aurora Bio
- pH Pharma
- Cala Health
- VenomYx
- Scaled Biolabs
- HPI Biosciences
- Lucira Health
- Tangible Science
- Sublime Therapeutics
- Via Nova Therapeutics
- Verinomics
- Nano Precision Medical
- AccuraGen Holdings
- Scribe Biosciences
- MyNurse
- OncoSynergy
- Auricle
- Alio
- Foodsmart
- Zoetic Data
- Vivace Therapeutics
- Vellum Biotechnologies
- Moving Analytics