BioBlaze Community Bio Lab

BioBlaze Community Bio Lab is a non-profit community biology laboratory based in West Chicago, Illinois, dedicated to democratizing biotechnology through open-source collaboration and education. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Sarah Ware, the lab provides a coworking space equipped with professional-grade scientific tools for citizen scientists, students, and entrepreneurs to conduct independent research. The organization is notably recognized for developing a low-cost, rapid "One-Hour COVID Test" using Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) technology, which was a semi-finalist in the XPRIZE Rapid COVID Testing competition. BioBlaze emphasizes STEM outreach and the removal of barriers to scientific innovation by offering workshops and shared resources to the general public.