About
about
Research and innovation across the full spectrum of biotech
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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 Bio 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.
David Schaffer, PhD
Executive Director, QB3; Director, Bakar BioEnginuity Hub & Bakar Labs
Regis Kelly, PhD, OBE
Former Executive Director, QB3; Byers Family Distinguished Professor
Jeremy Alberga
COO, QB3, Bakar Labs & Bakar BioEnginuity Hub
Lise Barbé, PhD
Grants Coordinator
Riley Hummel
Deputy Director of Outreach Programs, Bakar Labs & QB3
Katarina Klett, PhD
Innovation Discovery Program Manager
Kaspar Mossman, PhD
Managing Director
Wanichaya (Noem) Noiwangklang
Director of Workforce Development
Erica Yab
Events & Program Specialist
Ed Green, PhD
Director, QB3-Santa Cruz
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
- Coagulant Therapeutics
- Applaud Medical
- Endometrics
- Carmot Therapeutics
- Orb
- PuraCath Medical
- LogicInk
- Abreos Biosciences
- Profluent Bio
- InnoVein
- Axent Biosciences
- NeuroSave
- Aura Health
- ResVita Bio
- AEENA Dx
- Mekonos
- Valitor
- Lully
- Ria Health
- Blueprint Genetics
- Velano Vascular
- Siolta Therapeutics
- Sublime Therapeutics
- Silver Creek Pharmaceuticals
- CinderBio
- Fullmoon Sensors
- Nodexus
- Cell Design Labs
- Namocell
- Catena Biosciences
- Droplet
- BabyNoggin
- NeuraLace Medical
- Tueo Health
- CellSight Technologies
- 4D Molecular Therapeutics
- Sano
- Multerra Bio
- AOBiome
- Seven Starling
- Script Health
- Ciznor
- Arcadia Science
- Andes Biotechnologies
- Chameleon Biosciences
- Exogen Bio
- Nobell Foods
- Perlara
- Suono Bio
- Siluria Technologies
- Alpha Medical
- Alio
- Zymergen
- Calyx
- Nano Precision Medical
- Elenae
- Potrero Medical
- Darmiyan
- Razzberry
- Correlia Biosystems
- Vivace Therapeutics
- Combinati
- Mission Barns
- Scuba Probe Technologies
- Teralytic
- Encoded Therapeutics
- Gemmus Pharma
- Kiverdi
- pH Pharma
- Evercrisp
- Iris Medicine
- Vellum Biotechnologies
- True North Therapeutics
- Trace Genomics
- Bloomlife
- Kilimanjaro Energy
- 712 North
- Prellis Biologics
- UroDev Medical
- Tunitas Therapeutics
- Phyla
- iSono Health
- MD Ally
- Invenio
- Aquinox Pharmaceuticals
- Mae
- Scaled Biolabs
- Delinia
- Moving Analytics
- DiscoDisc Bio
- 11 Health
- Atreca
- Bolt Threads
- Panazee
- Allotrope Medical
- Circle Pharma
- Jennerex Biotherapeutics
- River Health
- ARIZ Precision Medicine
- Insamo
- Arterys
- Reflexion Pharmaceuticals
- Aucta Technologies
- Riffyn
- CellFE
- Glycomine
- Safe H2O
- Auricle
- Catena Biosciences
- MyNurse
- Fibralign Corporation
- Caribou Biosciences
- G-Tech Medical
- Liquidity Nanotech
- Provenance Biopharmaceuticals
- ViewPoint Therapeutics
- Visana Health
- Replace Therapeutics
- Inapill
- XP Health
- OncoSynergy
- Signum Surgical
- Invenio Imaging
- HOPO Therapeutics
- ZoneOne Pharma
- OneSkin
- Zenflow
- Calithera Biosciences
- Alessa Therapeutics
- Alector
- Cyclica
- Photoswitch Biosciences
- CV Ingenuity
- Sontina Medical
- Umaro Foods
- Evren Technologies
- iPierian
- BioChoric
- Radar Therapeutics
- AnimalBiome
- Revitope Oncology
- Principia Biopharma
- Sampling Human
- HepaTx
- Ribogenics
- Serotiny
- Delve Therapeutics
- Madorra
- MetaMixis
- Redwood Bioscience
- Novonate
- InnaMed
- Black Sheep Foods
- Addition Therapeutics
- Bisu
- Noleus Technologies
- Osprey Pharmaceuticals USA
- Sprint Synthesis
- Via Nova Therapeutics
- Spora Health
- BillionToOne
- Privail
- Glyphic Biotechnologies
- Foodsmart
- Guided Clarity
- SeaChange Pharmaceuticals
- Deep Blue Medical Advances
- EvolveMol
- Diadem Biotherapeutics
- ChemiSense
- Sequenta
- Tierra Biosciences
- SillaJen
- Survey Genomics
- Lygos
- Cypre
- SiteOne Therapeutics
- Ohayo Valley
- Meissa Vaccines
- Symic Biomedical
- Shasqi
- Precision NanoSystem
- Blumio
- Delpor
- OOTify
- Siris Medical
- Nosis Bio
- Fauna Bio
- Dropprint Genomics
- iMicrobes
- Invitae
- Siren Care
- Fluxion Biosciences
- Bell Biosystems
- Unnatural Products
- Novela Neurotech
- Pionyr Immunotherapeutics
- Aurora Bio
- Vicinitas Therapeutics
- Ontera
- InkSpace Imaging
- Perlumi
- Novome Biotechnologies
- GraphWear Technologies
- mFluiDx
- DotLab
- Xip
- ReCreate Bio
- Luma Therapeutics
- Aikium
- Tiatros
- Regel Therapeutics
- Globavir
- Genetic Foresight
- Felix Biotechnology
- GT Medical Technologies
- Lypro Biosciences
- SyntheX
- Knowledge Synthesis
- GigaGen
- VenomYx
- REGiMMUNE
- EYSZ
- Solidus Bioscience
- TeselaGen
- Emme
- Palisade Therapeutics
- Safely Health
- Kenota Health
- Bikanta
- GenEdit
- Channel Medsystems
- Intelligent Implants
- Fountain Therapeutics
- Amarantus BioSciences
- MiNDERA Corporation
- Zeto
- Dextera Biosciences
- Avisi Technologies
- Opus Bio
- HPI Biosciences
- General Automation Lab Technologies
- Xcell Biosciences
- KuriBio
- Cala Health
- Zoetic Data
- Evolva
- Cor
- Ablexis
- Assembly Biosciences
- Mission Bio
- Epalex
- Verinomics
- DABOmics
- Perceptive Navigation
- Therini Bio
- Wildtype
- Karuna Labs
- Cibiem
- Concentric Analgesics
- Intact Therapeutics
- Valera Health
- imvaria
- Engine Biosciences
- Olfa Thera
- Aromyx
- Telo Therapeutics
- Chrono Therapeutics
- YourChoice Therapeutics
- Raydiant Oximetry
- Genesis DNA
- Lucira Health
- Omniox
- Omni Therapeutics
- Aluna
- Allopartis
- Pharmajet
- Tangible Science
- Effector Therapeutics
- Motum
- Digbi Health
- Catalia Health
- Zephyrus Biosciences
- Shade
- Ray Therapeutics
- Thea Health
- Eidos Therapeutics
- Laguna Health
- Concha Labs
- Obsidio
- Minutia
- Pendulum Therapeutics
- Pivot Bio
- ApniCure
- Scribe Biosciences
- Samay
- AccuraGen Holdings
- Satoris
- CureMetrix
- Miroculus
- Indee Labs
- Ripple Foods
- Third Pole