EazeBio has announced a strategic partnership with the University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz) to advance and commercialise a groundbreaking instrument-free diagnostic platform.
The collaboration will co-develop an innovative cortisol biosensor for stress and metabolic health testing, combining EazeBio’s expertise in affordable, scalable biotechnology with UC Santa Cruz’s deep research capabilities.
Together, they aim to accelerate the development of next-generation, lab-independent testing for global health applications.
The partnership represents a key milestone in EazeBio’s mission to democratise access to clinical-grade testing, bringing rapid diagnostics to the point of care in both developed and resource-limited settings.
Together, EazeBio and UC Santa Cruz aim to address some of the world’s most urgent health challenges by focusing on translating academic breakthroughs into real-world solutions that enable earlier detection, faster treatment and improved health outcomes.
“At EazeBio, we are committed to transforming the way diagnostics reach people,” said Reem Mahrat, CEO and founder of EazeBio.
“Our partnership with UC Santa Cruz brings together world-class science and mission-driven innovation to create a platform built not just for performance, but for global health equity."
"This latest technology brings the lab to the patient, not the other way around.”
Unlocking Next-Generation Diagnostics Without Instruments
Rooted in UC Santa Cruz’s cutting-edge biosensing research and inspired by Nobel Prize-winning science, the platform represents a significant leap forward in point-of-care diagnostics.
It combines innovative detection chemistry with luminescent biosensors, modular assay design and AI-guided interpretation.
The platform is engineered for speed, affordability and accessibility — requiring no instrumentation, refrigeration, or specialised training.
The result is lab-quality performance without the need for traditional laboratory infrastructure.
Designed for real-world deployment in both high-resource and underserved settings, this flexible system can be rapidly customised for a wide range of applications, including the following:
- Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) detection
- Viral outbreak response (e.g., influenza, RSV, novel coronaviruses)
- Hormonal monitoring (e.g., cortisol, fertility, stress, endocrine disorders)
- Cancer biomarker detection for early-stage screening
- Biothreat and emergency response in public health scenarios.
A shared vision for accessible innovation
With a shared commitment to equitable healthcare access and scientific excellence, the collaboration between UC Santa Cruz and EazeBio is poised to shape the next frontier in decentralised diagnostics.
“My group is developing lab prototypes with real translational potential and it’s deeply rewarding to hear from patients who need these sensors to improve their health,” said Andy Yeh, Assistant Professor of biomolecular engineering at the UC Santa Cruz Baskin School of Engineering.
“AI-based protein design now lets us tackle questions once thought impossible and I’m excited to see EazeBio translating this technology and driving progress toward making a meaningful difference in people's lives.”
Dr Belal Abdallah, Clinical Advisor at EazeBio, added: “As a clinician and CEO of an accountable care organisation, I've seen first-hand how diagnostic delays exacerbate health disparities."
"EazeBio's instrument-free platform, born from this groundbreaking UC Santa Cruz collaboration, flips the script — bringing precision medicine to the patient's doorstep with speed, affordability and equity."
"This isn't just a tool; it's a catalyst for reimagining accountable care in the 21st century.”