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QB3 California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences Lead campus: UC San Francisco Cooperating campuses: UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz For more information: http://www.qb3.org/

During the last half-century, molecular genetics revolutionized biomedical research and gave rise to the biotechnology industry. During the next half-century,the application of the quantitative sciences - mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering - to biomedical research will bring about a second revolution that promises to improve human health and create dynamic new technologies.

To catalyze these changes, the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, a cooperative effort among three campuses of the University of California and private industry, harnesses the quantitative sciences to integrate our understanding of biological systems at all levels of complexity - from atoms and protein molecules to cells, tissues, organs and the entire organism. This long-sought integration allows scientists to attack problems that have been simply unapproachable before, setting the stage for fundamental new discoveries, new products and new technologies for the benefit of human health.

The institute builds on strengths in the engineering and physical sciences at UC Berkeley, the mathematical sciences at UC Santa Cruz and the medical sciences at UC San Francisco, as well as on strong biology programs at the three campuses.

In addition to the creation of fundamental new knowledge and potent new technologies, a major goal of the Institute is to train a new generation of students able to fully integrate the quantitative sciences with biomedical research.

The institute involves more than 180 scientists housed in a new building at Mission Bay in San Francisco, a new building at UC Berkeley and two new facilities at UC Santa Cruz.

Zach W. Hall, Ph.D., vice chancellor-research, UC San Francisco:
"The next great era in bio-medical research will be one in which the quantitative sciences - mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering - play a dominant role. The institute will bring together biomedical scientists and those in the quantitative sciences to create new ideas and new technologies and to train a new generation of students. The institute will be a seed bed of new ideas and new talent that can keep California at the cutting edge of the new economy."

William J. Rutter, Ph.D., chairman, Chiron Corp.:
"The new century is widely acclaimed as the Century of Biology. The dramatic increase in our knowledge of fundamental biological mechanisms presents an unparalleled opportunity to further expand our under-standing of human development, aging and disease and to develop products that will impact medical practice. The institute... will facilitate the development of new science and technology that should contribute to new commercial activities and the continuation of California's leading role in biotechnology and high technology as applied to medicine."

(en Español)