Andres F. Diaz
Lead Developer, Molecular Biology Specialist | MD/PhD Candidate, University of Arizona COM, Tuscon
Team
- Andres Diaz (above)
- Thomas Larsen, PhD (University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson)
Prototype Development Lead, Biomedical Engineer Advisor - Anish Vaddireddy, BS (Deloitte, New York, NY)
Data Scientist Lead, App Development - Sohail Daulat, BS (University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA)
Marketing & Biotech Lead, Second App Developer
Summary | EzMTX
High-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) is a key treatment for pediatric malignancies. However, in low-resource settings, clinicians face challenges due to the lack of accessible MTX monitoring tools, making it difficult to track toxicities and optimize treatment. To address this, we designed a low-cost, portable assay for urine-based MTX monitoring: the EzMTX assay. We leverage MTX’s inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase to produce a simple, clinically relevant readout, then integrate this with a digital app that quantifies results for clinical use. Our assay empowers safer and effective HDMTX treatment and supports equitable global pediatric cancer care.
We were struck by how many children around the world miss out on life-saving chemotherapy simply because monitoring tools are out of reach. EzMTX was born from a belief that access shouldn’t be a privilege—it should be the standard.
-Andres F. Diaz
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