US-based biotechnology company EazeBio has entered into a strategic partnership with the University of California, Santa Cruz (UC Santa Cruz) to advance and commercialise a revolutionary instrument-free diagnostic platform.

Through this collaboration, the partners 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. The goal is to accelerate the development of next-generation, lab-independent testing for global health applications.

Reem Mahrat, CEO and Founder of EazeBio, said, "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."

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—combining innovative detection chemistry with luminescent biosensors, modular assay design and AI-guided interpretation.

It is engineered to deliver lab-quality performance without the need for instruments, refrigeration or specialised training—making diagnostics faster, more affordable and accessible.

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: 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 and biothreat and emergency response in public health scenarios.

"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. 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,” said Andy Yeh, assistant professor of biomolecular engineering at the UC Santa Cruz Baskin School of Engineering.

Dr. Belal Abdallah, Clinical Advisor at EazeBio, added, "As a clinician and CEO of an accountable care organization, I've seen firsthand 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."

EazeBio is now inviting global health organisations, investors and innovators to collaborate in scaling this transformative diagnostic platform across diverse geographies and clinical use cases.