Curriculum Vitae

rzomor2@uic.edu

Last updated June 5, 2025

Education

Master of Science – Biostatistics
University of Illinois Chicago Aug 2023 — May 2025

  • GPA: 4.00

Bachelor of Science – Biological Science
University of Illinois Chicago Aug 2019 — May 2023

  • Minors: Computer Science & Public Health
  • Graudated with Highest Distinction
  • Honors College
  • GPA: 4.00

Work Experience

Research Associate
Children’s Environmental Health Initiative Jun 2023 — Present

  • Performed geospatial analysis of hospital and physician accessibility utilizing two-step floating catchment area methods.
  • Developed Rate Stabilizing Toolbox in Python to generate generating reliable, local-level age-standardized measures of chronic disease using the restricted univariate conditional autoregressive (UCAR) bayesian model.
  • Generated measures of hurricane exposure for 15 severe storms in order facilitate analysis of hurricane exposure effects on mortality amongst elderly individuals.
  • Instructed state, tribal, and local public health professionals on the use of GIS to assess and address chronic health disparities.

Software

socratadata
R package API wrapper that utilzes Rust to parse Socrata datasets into R dataframes. Also features support for Socrata Query Langauge (SoQL) and the Socrata Discovery API.
arcpygris
Python toolbox for downloading Census boundaries into an ArcGIS Pro project. Inspired heavily by the R package tigris.
sasquatch
R package that bridges SAS and R. Utilizes the Python package SASPy to enable transfer of data between R and SAS, interactive SAS evaluation, basic remote SAS client file management, and rendering of SAS within quarto/rmarkdown documents.
healthatlas
R package API wrapper for Metopio health atlas data. Allows for easy exploration of health atlas datasets and metadata.
centr
R package that designed to calculate planar or geodesic weighted mean or median spatial centers.
Rate Stabilizing Toolbox
Python toolbox for generating reliable, local-level age-standardized measures of chronic disease using the restricted univariate conditional autoregressive (UCAR) bayesian model.

Presentations & Workshops

Enhancing Local Level Surveillance and Data Visualization of Health Outcomes: Introducing a Set of Rate Stabilizing Tools
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 10 Jun 2025
Enhancing Data to Action: Approaches for Using Maps to Address Chronic Disease
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 9 Jun 2025
Encounter with sasquatch: Using SAS, R, and Quarto together
SAS Open Source Community of Practice 25 May 2025
Presentation Link
Using GIS to Study Social Determinants of Health with R
Northern Arizona University Center for Health Equity Research 6 — 7 Jun 24
Resource Link
An Introduction to ArcGIS Online Mini-Course
GIS Capacity Building Project 17 — 24 Oct 23
A Gentle Introduction to GIS Mini-Course
GIS Capacity Building Project 19 — 26 Sep 23
RNA-sequencing analysis of Macrophage Hyperactivation
UIC Undergraduate Research Forum 18 Apr 2023
Empowering Community Members to Investigate and Address Chicago’s Health Disparities
American Public Health Association 9 Nov 2022
Empowering Community Members to Investigate and Address Chicago’s Health Disparities
UIC Minority Health Conference 8 Apr 2022
Recording Link
Developing Student Workshops to Increase Community Engagement in Addressing Chicago’s Health Disparities
UIC School of Public Health Research and Scholarship Week Lightning Talks 22 Apr 2022

Publications

Significance of IL-34 and SDC-1 in the pathogenesis of RA cells and preclinical models Clinical Immunology May 2023
10.1016/j.clim.2023.109635
Inhibition of IRAK4 dysregulates SARS-CoV-2 spike proteininduced macrophage inflammatory and glycolytic reprogramming
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences May 2022
10.1007/s00018-022-04329-8
Metabolic reprogramming of macrophages instigates CCL21-induced arthritis
Immunology & Cell Biology Dec 2021
10.1111/imcb.12512
Metabolic regulation of RA macrophages is distinct from RA fibroblasts and blockade of glycolysis alleviates inflammatory phenotype in both cell types
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Oct 2021
10.1007/s00018-021-03978-5
Interleukin-34 Reprograms Glycolytic and Osteoclastic Rheumatoid Arthritis Macrophages via Syndecan 1 and Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Receptor
Arthritis & Rheumatology Sep 2021
10.1002/art.41792
Tofacitinib therapy intercepts macrophage metabolic reprogramming instigated by SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein
European Journal of Immunology Jun 2021
10.1002/eji.202049159
CCL25 and CCR9 is a unique pathway that potentiates pannus formation by remodeling RA macrophages into mature osteoclasts
European Journal of Immunology Jan 2021
10.1002/eji.202048681
IRAK4 inhibition: a promising strategy for treating RA joint inflammation and bone erosion
Cellular & Molecular Immunology May 2020
10.1038/s41423-020-0433-8
Macrophages are the primary effector cells in IL-7-induced arthritis
Cellular & Molecular Immunology Jun 2019
10.1038/s41423-019-0235-z
Impact of obesity on autoimmune arthritis and its cardiovascular complications
Autoimmunity Reviews Jun 2018
10.1016/j.autrev.2018.02.007

Teaching Experience

GIS Training for Surveillance of Heart Disease, Stroke, and Other Chronic Diseases in State Health Departments
GIS Capacity Building Project 25 Mar 25 — 31 Jul 25
Hawaii State Department of Health & University of Hawaiʻi GIS Capacity Building
GIS Capacity Building Project 28 Jan 25 — 12 Jun 25
Advanced GIS Training for Surveillance of Heart Disease, Stroke and Other Chronic Diseases Among Health Department Staff
GIS Capacity Building Project 13 Nov 24 - 29 Jan 25
State Health Departments Chronic Disease Surveillance
GIS Capacity Building Project 6 Mar 24 — 31 Jul 24
Tribal Epidemiological Centers Chronic Disease Surveillance
GIS Capacity Building Project 10 Oct 23 — 31 Jan 24

Honors

Highest Distinction
UIC Department of Biological Sciences 2023
Pasteur Prize Nominee
UIC Department of Biological Sciences 2023
Research Grant
UIC Honors College 2022
Travel Grant
UIC Honors College 2022
Maurice Prize
UIC Student Leadership and Civic Engagement 2022
Undergraduate Most Outstanding Presentation
UIC School of Public Health Research Week 2022
Chancellor’s Student Service Award
UIC Student Leadership and Civic Engagement 2022
President’s Volunteer Service Award - Bronze
UIC Student Leadership and Civic Engagement 2021
1st place - Division 4
Collegiate Chess League 2021
Chancellor’s Student Service Award
UIC Student Leadership and Civic Engagement 2021
Research Grant
UIC Honors College 2020

Professional Membership

American Public Health Association 2022
Harvard Innovation Lab 2022 — 2024
Clinton Global Initiative University Fellowship 2023
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2020 — 2022