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