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