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