The California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) is one of four Governor Gray Davis Institutes for Science and Innovation established in 2000 to ensure the future of the California economy by promoting research and innovation. QB3 is a cooperative effort between the state of California, private industry, venture capital, and the University of California campuses at Berkeley, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz.

QB3 harnesses the quantitative sciences of physics and engineering to unify our understanding of biological systems at all levels of complexity, from atoms and molecules to cells, tissues, and entire living organisms. QB3 scientists make discoveries that drive the development of technologies, products, and wholly new industries, ensuring that California remains competitive in the 21st century.

QB3’s goals are to fuel the California bioeconomy; to support research and training in quantitative biosciences; and to translate academic research into products and services that benefit society.

In order to stimulate discovery at the intersection of the physical and biological sciences, QB3 promotes multidisciplinary research at world-class facilities, creates innovative educational programs, and fosters industry partnerships.

Scientific exploration is organized around defined research areas that help researchers collaborate and develop new initiatives.

At BerkQB3-Berkeley Director Sanjay Kumar with a trainee in his lab in Stanley Hall on the UC Berkeley campus.eley, QB3 provides opportunities for scientists and engineers from diverse fields to join a vital scientific community and collaborate in new ways, leading to significant research advances. Emerging fields, such as computational biology and synthetic biology are nurtured through specific research and educational initiatives designed to help new fields mature and thrive. Education and training efforts at the graduate level prepare students to advance in these fields and to integrate the tools and approaches of multiple disciplines into their own expertise. Programs for undergraduates and students at K-12 levels provide exposure to laboratory science and biotechnology to help encourage exploration of technical fields.

QB3-Berkeley fosters research partnerships by identifying potential opportunities for collaboration and support, developing platform technologies, and assisting partners with intellectual property and technology transfer issues. Collaborators come from academia, industry, venture capital, and government agencies. These partnerships accelerate knowledge and technology transfer, making it possible to stimulate new industries and bring major benefits to the California economy.

QB3-Berkeley Director Sanjay Kumar with a trainee in his lab in Stanley Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. Photo: Justin Wang.

On the UC Berkeley campus, QB3-Berkeley’s Advisory Council provides leadership, consensus, and advice on the institute’s facilities, research, and programming efforts. The Advisory Council is composed of faculty affiliates who each serve a three-year term. The current Advisory Council members are: