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