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.
David Schaffer, PhD
Executive Director, QB3; Director, Bakar BioEnginuity Hub & Bakar Labs
Regis Kelly, PhD, OBE
Former Executive Director, QB3; Byers Family Distinguished Professor
Jeremy Alberga
COO, QB3, Bakar Labs & Bakar BioEnginuity Hub
Lise Barbé, PhD
Grants Coordinator
Riley Hummel
Deputy Director of Outreach Programs, Bakar Labs & QB3
Katarina Klett, PhD
Innovation Discovery Program Manager
Kaspar Mossman, PhD
Managing Director
Wanichaya (Noem) Noiwangklang
Director of Workforce Development
Erica Yab
Events & Program Specialist
Ed Green, PhD
Director, QB3-Santa Cruz
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
- River Health
- Siris Medical
- Sprint Synthesis
- GigaGen
- Novela Neurotech
- HPI Biosciences
- Phyla
- General Automation Lab Technologies
- BabyNoggin
- Aluna
- Felix Biotechnology
- iSono Health
- Channel Medsystems
- Andes Biotechnologies
- MiNDERA Corporation
- Telo Therapeutics
- Circle Pharma
- Bloomlife
- Silver Creek Pharmaceuticals
- CellSight Technologies
- iPierian
- G-Tech Medical
- Atreca
- REGiMMUNE
- Riffyn
- Kenota Health
- Inapill
- GT Medical Technologies
- Noleus Technologies
- Samay
- Perceptive Navigation
- Encoded Therapeutics
- Survey Genomics
- Abreos Biosciences
- imvaria
- Laguna Health
- Genesis DNA
- Delve Therapeutics
- HepaTx
- Sontina Medical
- Applaud Medical
- SeaChange Pharmaceuticals
- Mission Bio
- Miroculus
- Iris Medicine
- Privail
- Lypro Biosciences
- Insamo
- Panazee
- Aromyx
- Moving Analytics
- Lygos
- Dextera Biosciences
- Ablexis
- Pionyr Immunotherapeutics
- Blueprint Genetics
- True North Therapeutics
- mFluiDx
- Jennerex Biotherapeutics
- Madorra
- Lucira Health
- Prellis Biologics
- Scaled Biolabs
- Minutia
- SyntheX
- Bikanta
- Nodexus
- Tunitas Therapeutics
- BioChoric
- AnimalBiome
- Suono Bio
- Visana Health
- Addition Therapeutics
- Siluria Technologies
- Siren Care
- Umaro Foods
- Opus Bio
- Tueo Health
- Zoetic Data
- Ontera
- Olfa Thera
- Allopartis
- Epalex
- Mae
- Cor
- CinderBio
- Ria Health
- DotLab
- Sublime Therapeutics
- Aura Health
- Pivot Bio
- Ripple Foods
- 11 Health
- Ciznor
- Evren Technologies
- Glycomine
- Arcadia Science
- Globavir
- Nano Precision Medical
- Endometrics
- SiteOne Therapeutics
- Cell Design Labs
- Karuna Labs
- ViewPoint Therapeutics
- ResVita Bio
- Novome Biotechnologies
- KuriBio
- Effector Therapeutics
- Replace Therapeutics
- Delpor
- ApniCure
- 712 North
- Tangible Science
- Caribou Biosciences
- Elenae
- Raydiant Oximetry
- Knowledge Synthesis
- Mekonos
- Allotrope Medical
- Invitae
- Seven Starling
- Chameleon Biosciences
- ChemiSense
- Genetic Foresight
- Satoris
- Calithera Biosciences
- InnaMed
- ARIZ Precision Medicine
- Bolt Threads
- Lully
- Wildtype
- HOPO Therapeutics
- Valera Health
- Multerra Bio
- Symic Biomedical
- Vellum Biotechnologies
- Ray Therapeutics
- 4D Molecular Therapeutics
- MyNurse
- AOBiome
- Perlara
- InkSpace Imaging
- Guided Clarity
- Unnatural Products
- Aurora Bio
- MD Ally
- Evercrisp
- Assembly Biosciences
- Motum
- Namocell
- BillionToOne
- Xcell Biosciences
- Alector
- Eidos Therapeutics
- Omniox
- Cala Health
- CV Ingenuity
- Zenflow
- iMicrobes
- Principia Biopharma
- AccuraGen Holdings
- Ribogenics
- pH Pharma
- Axent Biosciences
- Scribe Biosciences
- VenomYx
- Profluent Bio
- Arterys
- Fullmoon Sensors
- Cypre
- Revitope Oncology
- Fauna Bio
- Safely Health
- Carmot Therapeutics
- Engine Biosciences
- Valitor
- Kilimanjaro Energy
- Orb
- Concentric Analgesics
- Concha Labs
- Obsidio
- Zephyrus Biosciences
- Solidus Bioscience
- Aikium
- Sequenta
- Redwood Bioscience
- Fibralign Corporation
- CureMetrix
- Emme
- YourChoice Therapeutics
- Gemmus Pharma
- Pharmajet
- Avisi Technologies
- Via Nova Therapeutics
- Pendulum Therapeutics
- Bell Biosystems
- Kiverdi
- Shade
- XP Health
- Photoswitch Biosciences
- Provenance Biopharmaceuticals
- Regel Therapeutics
- Alessa Therapeutics
- Deep Blue Medical Advances
- Razzberry
- Darmiyan
- NeuraLace Medical
- Indee Labs
- Auricle
- Teralytic
- DABOmics
- Perlumi
- Radar Therapeutics
- Safe H2O
- Black Sheep Foods
- Invenio
- Nobell Foods
- Alpha Medical
- Bisu
- LogicInk
- InnoVein
- Potrero Medical
- MetaMixis
- Combinati
- Chrono Therapeutics
- Mission Barns
- Intelligent Implants
- ReCreate Bio
- Script Health
- Third Pole
- Meissa Vaccines
- Ohayo Valley
- Digbi Health
- Signum Surgical
- UroDev Medical
- Cyclica
- Droplet
- Thea Health
- OneSkin
- Velano Vascular
- Fountain Therapeutics
- GenEdit
- Catalia Health
- Glyphic Biotechnologies
- Blumio
- Catena Biosciences
- Evolva
- Novonate
- Precision NanoSystem
- Tierra Biosciences
- Xip
- Tiatros
- Nosis Bio
- Scuba Probe Technologies
- Palisade Therapeutics
- Intact Therapeutics
- Aquinox Pharmaceuticals
- CellFE
- Sampling Human
- Vivace Therapeutics
- Zymergen
- Calyx
- Coagulant Therapeutics
- Spora Health
- Amarantus BioSciences
- ZoneOne Pharma
- Sano
- TeselaGen
- EvolveMol
- Aucta Technologies
- Shasqi
- Catena Biosciences
- DiscoDisc Bio
- Invenio Imaging
- GraphWear Technologies
- Luma Therapeutics
- Alio
- Verinomics
- Therini Bio
- AEENA Dx
- Osprey Pharmaceuticals USA
- Trace Genomics
- Exogen Bio
- SillaJen
- Omni Therapeutics
- PuraCath Medical
- EYSZ
- Liquidity Nanotech
- Diadem Biotherapeutics
- Foodsmart
- Vicinitas Therapeutics
- OOTify
- NeuroSave
- Siolta Therapeutics
- Reflexion Pharmaceuticals
- Cibiem
- Serotiny
- Correlia Biosystems
- Fluxion Biosciences
- Zeto
- Delinia
- Dropprint Genomics
- OncoSynergy