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