Profile

Rachel started the Biomathematics Ph.D. program at UCLA in September 2019 and was advised by Professor Bogdan Pasaniuc. As an undergrad, she studied applied mathematics and computer science but was unsure how to choose a career that would allow her to follow her passions for mathematics and for helping others.  That changed when a course in computational genetics led her to the Biomath program at UCLA.  As part of her PhD research, Rachel has investigated methods for tracking interventions for infectious disease, assessed the most useful statistics to allow the inclusion of individuals of mixed ancestry in genetics studies, and worked with a clinical team to use machine learning to reduce diagnostic delay for patients with common variable immunodeficiencies. Rachel is continuing research as a postdoc at UCLA.