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QBI Quantitative Bioscience Institute (QBI) - QBI is the institute which transforms our understanding of biology and disease through quantitative research.

lnk.bio/qbi_ucsf The Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) fosters collaborations across the biomedical and the physical sciences, seeking quantitative methods to address pressing problems in biology and biomedicine. Motivated by problems of human disease, QBI is committed to investigating fundamental biological mechanisms, because ultimately solutions to many diseases will be revealed by new discoveries in the basic sciences.

Back in Berlin. Seven years later. 🇩🇪🔬What started as a symposium between QBI at UCSF and Freie Universität Berlin in 20...
09/30/2026

Back in Berlin. Seven years later. 🇩🇪🔬

What started as a symposium between QBI at UCSF and Freie Universität Berlin in 2019 has grown into a lasting transatlantic connection, with joint research, scientific exchange, a second symposium in San Francisco, and new opportunities to bring researchers together.

This month, we returned to Berlin for our third joint symposium!

Researchers from UCSF and across Germany spent the day sharing research, exchanging ideas, and exploring connections across neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disease, from brain development and synaptic biology to structural biology, proteomics, and systems biology.

And, of course, the science was only part of it. The conversations between talks, the panel discussion, and the connections made throughout the day are what make these gatherings so valuable.

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make it happen! And a special shoutout to Francesco Cannizzaro and Celine Perier for all the extra work behind the scenes. 🙌

Here’s to keeping the conversation going.

📸 Swipe through some moments from the symposium, then head to the link in our bio for the full recap and photo album.

What if a drug could engage two binding sites on the same protein?A new study from UCSF, published in Nature, introduces...
09/24/2026

What if a drug could engage two binding sites on the same protein?

A new study from UCSF, published in Nature, introduces a framework for designing “bitopic” kinase inhibitors, molecules designed to engage two sites on a protein rather than one.

Led by co-first authors Jack W. Stevenson and Kevin Lou, the researchers applied this approach to ABL1 and developed PonatiLink-2, a bitopic inhibitor that showed activity against several drug-resistant forms of BCR::ABL1 in preclinical models. They also tested the approach with EGFR, suggesting the strategy could extend beyond ABL1.

“This study gives us a general blueprint for designing small molecules that can recognize two binding sites that are naturally positioned near one another,” says Kevin Lou, a QBI Fellow and co-first author.

Learn more about the research at the link in our bio.

Join us at UCSF Mission Bay for a seminar with Forest White, Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT and member of th...
09/17/2026

Join us at UCSF Mission Bay for a seminar with Forest White, Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT and member of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, hosted by Jim Wells.

Dr. White will explore how quantitative approaches to signaling networks and MHC peptide presentation can reveal the molecular mechanisms driving cancer progression and treatment response, with research spanning glioblastoma, melanoma, triple negative breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer.

September 23, 2026
2:00 PM
Genentech Hall, Room N114 | UCSF Mission Bay

Come join us! Learn more: link in bio

🌊 Something exciting is coming to UCSF this October.QBI is bringing together researchers from around the world for Molec...
09/11/2026

🌊 Something exciting is coming to UCSF this October.

QBI is bringing together researchers from around the world for Molecular Mechanisms of Aquatic Organisms, a symposium exploring the molecular and cellular processes that shape life in aquatic environments.

And we want to hear what you’re working on!

✨ Call for abstracts is now open for oral and poster presentations. If your research explores aquatic life, molecular mechanisms, or the tools and technologies that help us understand these systems, submit your work by September 29 (more details are listed on our website).

Registration is also open. Come share your science, discover new ideas, and connect with researchers from across the field.

Learn more + submit an abstract + register → Link in bio

We’re kicking off the QBI Science Art Club on September 22 with an inaugural Art Social inspired by the fascinating worl...
09/03/2026

We’re kicking off the QBI Science Art Club on September 22 with an inaugural Art Social inspired by the fascinating world of aquatic organisms. 🐠🪼🐙

Come spend an evening at UCSF Mission Bay creating art, exploring aquatic life, and connecting with scientists, artists, and curious creatives from across the community. No art or science experience is needed—just bring your curiosity and creativity.

We’ll provide the paints, canvas, snacks, and drinks. You bring the imagination. ✨

And the best part? Artwork created during the event will be exhibited at the Molecular Mechanisms of Aquatic Organisms Symposium on October 6!

Learn more details by clicking the link in our bio.

We know hundreds of genes can be linked to autism. But knowing which genes are involved is only part of the story.The bi...
08/27/2026

We know hundreds of genes can be linked to autism. But knowing which genes are involved is only part of the story.

The bigger question is: what happens inside the cell when those genes are altered?

Today in Science, researchers at UCSF’s Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences reveal the largest molecular map of autism to date—a highly collaborative effort involving more than 70 researchers.

By mapping more than 1,800 protein interactions across 100 autism risk genes, the team found that many different mutations converge on shared protein networks. They then traced the effects of 54 patient-derived mutations to see how they alter those networks.

The result is a detailed view of the molecular machinery affected by autism-associated mutations and a potential path toward therapies that target shared molecular mechanisms. More than a decade of collaborative work went into building this map!

Learn more about the study: link in bio.

Ever wondered what happens to your paper after you hit “submit”? 👀Join QBI on August 24 for a behind-the-scenes look at ...
08/20/2026

Ever wondered what happens to your paper after you hit “submit”? 👀

Join QBI on August 24 for a behind-the-scenes look at scientific publishing with Yuan Hu Allegretti, Scientific Editor at Cell Systems.

How do editors decide which papers go out for review? How are reviewers chosen? What happens when reviewers disagree? Should you contact your editor during a revision? And when is it worth appealing a decision?

Dr. Allegretti will unpack these questions and more, sharing practical tips for navigating the editorial and review process—as well as a look at how journal transfers work behind the scenes at Cell Press.
She’ll also share her experience as an editor, what she looks for in manuscripts, and advice for anyone interested in a career in scientific editing.

The seminar will be followed by an informal discussion and Q&A, so bring your questions!

More details & registration can be found at the link in our bio.

We welcome Brad Schneider to QBI as our new Chief Operating Officer! With more than two decades of experience in infecti...
08/11/2026

We welcome Brad Schneider to QBI as our new Chief Operating Officer!

With more than two decades of experience in infectious disease research, global health, biotechnology, and AI biosecurity, Brad brings a unique mix of scientific expertise and operational leadership to QBI.

As QBI continues to expand its scientific programs and translational efforts, Brad will help strengthen the systems and teams that support our research, collaborations, and continued growth.

Welcome to the team, Brad!

Read the full announcement: link in bio

Last week, we gathered for QBI’s annual Internship Symposium, where our summer researchers came together to share the wo...
08/10/2026

Last week, we gathered for QBI’s annual Internship Symposium, where our summer researchers came together to share the work they’ve been immersed in over the past few months.

From structural biology and protein engineering to AI, computational modeling, genomics, bioinformatics, and cancer biology, the breadth of research was a wonderful reflection of the curiosity and creativity of our interns and their mentors.

But the afternoon was about more than research. It was also a chance for our interns to step up and share their ideas, ask questions, practice communicating science, and connect with the mentors and peers who helped make their summer experience possible.

We’re proud of this year’s cohort and grateful to everyone across the QBI community who supported, mentored, and encouraged them along the way! ✨

📸 Revisit the event and explore more photos from the day: link in bio

On September 14, researchers from California and Germany will come together in Berlin for a joint QBI–Freie Universität ...
08/10/2026

On September 14, researchers from California and Germany will come together in Berlin for a joint QBI–Freie Universität Berlin Freie Universität Berlin symposium exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying neuropsychological and neurodevelopmental disorders, with a particular focus on autism.

The program will span clinical science, pharmacology, brain development, structural biology, systems biology, and the effects of viral infection on the brain.

The symposium is part of a QBI–FUB partnership that has grown steadily since the two institutions first came together for a joint symposium in Berlin in 2019. What began as a scientific exchange has since developed into a broader collaboration spanning research, training, and scientific exchange across Berlin and San Francisco.

Now, the partnership returns to Berlin for its next chapter, bringing researchers together again to exchange ideas, share discoveries, and advance the scientific collaborations already underway.

📍 Freie Universität Berlin
📅 September 14, 2026

If you’ll be in Berlin this September, we’d love to see you there!

Learn more and register: link in bio.

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1700 4th Street
San Francisco, CA
94158

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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(415) 476-6109

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