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