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