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