Edgar J. Hernandez

Edgar J. Hernandez is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He holds a PhD in Ecology, Systematics, and Evolution from the University of Missouri and a Bachelor's in Biology from Universidad Nacional de Colombia. His research bridges biostatistics, artificial intelligence, and clinical data to improve healthcare outcomes, particularly in personalized medicine and genomic diagnostics. He leads computational efforts in the Yandell lab, focusing on predictive modeling of genetic-clinical interactions, multi-omics analysis, and developing tools for diagnosing rare diseases using next-generation sequencing.

His expertise spans applications in pediatric cardiology, nephrology, oncology, and metabolic disorders. Collaborations with consortia and industry partners emphasize translating genomic insights into clinical practice. Notable contributions include AI-driven risk stratification for perinatal mortality and cardiovascular outcomes, as well as genomic forecasting tools for congenital heart surgery outcomes. His work integrates electronic health records (EHR) and machine learning to address complex health challenges, such as identifying novel molecular signatures in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Hernandez’s research portfolio reflects interdisciplinary innovation, with a focus on improving genomic information utilization for therapeutic advancements. His computational methods include probabilistic graphical models, natural language processing, and explainable AI frameworks to enhance diagnostic precision and predictive accuracy in healthcare.