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