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