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