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