About MetaCensus

ARUP Laboratories

ARUP Laboratories is a national nonprofit academic reference laboratory at the forefront of diagnostic medicine. It is a CAP-, ISO 15189-, and CLIA-certified diagnostic lab with 40 years of experience supporting clients through unparalleled quality and service. Its forward-thinking community of academic experts and consultants empowers clients with the most current industry knowledge and unparalleled guidance.

Ryan Nelson

Ryan Nelson is the Medical Director of Precision Medicine. He and data engineer Erik Forsman came up with the idea for MetaCensus while working in ARUP Laboratories Healthcare Advisory Services team, where they noticed health systems, clinicians, insurers, regulatory bodies, and guideline-producing entities all had discordant access to, interpretation of, and application from the results of the same information each reported to be using to inform their current stances and actions (which were consistently not in line with each other). This discordance slows the rate of scientific consensus and application of science and focuses on where the research should focus next on scientific topics. Ryan and Erik began conceptualizing the MetaCensus Network.

Erik Forsman

Erik Forsman is a Data Engineer from Salt Lake City, Utah with extensive expertise in building data analytics platforms from the ground up and holds a bachelor's of Science in Chemical Engineering. Although focusing on Data Engineering Eriks experience also includes machine learning, blockchain technologies, and backend server development. One of his main drivers is building generalized solutions to enable solving a large array of issues that still provides the flexibility and customization required for specific problems which led to the idea of MetaCensus while discussing the MetaAnalysis issues with Ryan.

Jaime Natoli

Jaime Natoli, MPH, MS, CGC is a Clinical Consultant in the Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) Services Unit within the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG). Ms. Natoli is a board-certified genetic counselor and has been involved in evidence-based medicine and health outcomes research for more than 20 years. Her work at Kaiser Permanente focuses on the evaluation and implementation of new medical technologies, with an emphasis on genetic/genomic tests used for hereditary conditions, pharmacogenomics, and molecular pathology. Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente in January 2012, she worked as a Scientist at Cerner LifeSciences, where she gained experience in the utilization of electronic medical record data for research, the conduct of systematic literature reviews and meta-analyses, and medical library services. Her major areas of interest include the application of evidence-based methodology to genetic/genomic technologies, pharmacogenomics, prenatal screening and diagnosis, and cancer risk assessment.

Carrie Hoefer

Bio for Carrie Hoefer coming soon.

Jacob Barzee

Jacob Barzee is a Software Engineer with a decade of experience developing reliable and secure software systems. Currently working on Metacensus, a tool designed to help researchers reach consensus on complex questions arising from scientific data.

With Metacensus, Jacob leads the development of the decentralized system for consensus and user identity. He brings experience architecting and scaling core platforms and cloud data systems. Previously, he worked with industry leading data processing pipelines, maintaining IL5 security standards, at cloud scale.

Known for his technical expertise, security-conscious approach, and eye for scale and reliability, Jacob brings a thoughtful and collaborative perspective to Metacensus, aiming to provide the research sphere with a foundational tool realizing the community's highest values; integrity, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.

Michael Bonner

Michael Bonner is a seasoned web developer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. With a passion for creating websites that dates back to his high school days in 2003, Michael has honed his skills over nearly two decades in the industry. Michael's career in web development has been diverse and impactful. He has worked at various companies, developing websites, web applications, and mobile apps. His experience extends beyond coding, as he has also served as a director at a digital agency and taught a boot camp for the University of Utah. Currently, Michael runs a consulting agency called Bootpack Digital, where he continues to apply his expertise in web development with a team of engineers, designers, and marketers.

Rob Shirley

Rob Shirley is a full-stack software developer from Orem, Utah, with several years of experience specializing in building robust and user-focused applications. He currently works as a software engineer at a local manufacturing center and also contracts with Bootpack Digital. While his focus is on full-stack development, Rob's experience extends to mobile app and video game development, showcasing his versatility across various platforms and technologies. He holds a bachelor's degree in Economics and a master's degree in Data Science, blending technical expertise with an understanding of data and analytics. His passion for solving complex problems and trying to create efficient, innovative solutions drives every aspect of his development work.