Gabrielle Hoyer

PhD Candidate | Healthcare AI and Digital Twins

Developing scalable AI frameworks and digital twin systems that integrate diverse medical imaging data, predictive modeling, and precision analytics to enhance musculoskeletal care and advance clinical outcomes.

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About Me

My introduction

Biomedical Engineer & PhD Candidate driven by a commitment to bridging advanced AI research with practical, patient-centered impact. My work blends rigorous scientific methods, multi-stakeholder collaborations, and thoughtful consideration of clinical workflow to create accessible, forward-looking healthcare solutions. By drawing on a combination of academic training, stakeholder engagement, and translational partnerships, I aim to ensure that technology moves seamlessly from the lab to the clinic.

Diagram

Areas of Focus

  • Approaches for real-world adoption of healthcare innovations
  • User-focused clinical workflow integration and design
  • Collaborative, interdisciplinary leadership and research management
300+ Healthcare
Stakeholder Interviews
7+ Years
Research
4+ Years
Strategic Leadership
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Qualification

My personal journey
Education
Work
Leadership + Service

BS in Biomedical Engineering, Neural Interfaces

University of Utah
2014 - 2018

MS in Biomedical Engineering, Neural Interfaces

University of Utah
2018 - 2020

PhD in Bioengineering, Machine Learning

UCSF-UC Berkeley
2021 - Present

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Neural Information Lab, University of Utah
2014 – 2017

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Mechanisms of Synaptic Functions Lab, University of Utah
2016 – 2018

Product Development Engineering Intern

Ortho Development, SLC, UT
2017 – 2018

Data Science Impact Fellow

Sorenson Impact Center, SLC, UT
2018

Graduate Researcher

Computer Vision in Anesthesiology Lab, University of Utah
2018 – 2021

Software Development Intern

Compassion International, Colorado Springs, CO
2020

Technical Lead

A.I. Healthcare Venture, NSF National I-Corps Program, Winter Cohort
2021

PhD Researcher

Musculoskeletal Quantitative Imaging Research Group, UCSF, CA
2022 – Present

Volunteer Lab Technician

Orthotics and Prosthetics Department, Shriners Hospital for Children - SLC, UT
2014 – 2016

Director of Research + Project Development

Project Embrace nonprofit - SLC, UT
2016 – 2018

College of Engineering Ambassador

University of Utah - SLC, UT
2017 – 2019

Chief Development Officer

Project Embrace nonprofit - SLC, UT
2018 – 2022

Research Projects

What i'm working on

Digital Twin Systems
& Precision Medicine

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Digital Twin Systems & Precision Medicine

    Digital Twin Diagram

  • Developing personalized digital twin systems that integrate multi-modal clinical data (imaging, clinical demographics, biomechanical signals, and 3D anatomical representations) for precise musculoskeletal health management.

  • Applying advanced causal inference, predictive analytics, and generative AI to perform longitudinal analyses and individualized scenario simulations.

  • Creating interactive decision-support tools that allow clinicians and researchers to explore preventive care strategies, disease trajectories, and personalized treatment plans.

  • Establishing analytical methods and software platforms to enable real-time clinical translation and improve patient-specific clinical outcomes.

  • GitHub Slide Deck Video Paper

Foundation Models &
Model Generalization

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Foundation Models & Model Generalization

  • Investigating foundational AI models, including the Segment Anything Model (SAM), for generalizability across different anatomical structures, patient populations, and imaging modalities in musculoskeletal MRI.

  • Developing robust strategies for fine-tuning and adapting pre-trained models to enhance transferability and clinical utility across medical domains.

  • Conducting comprehensive evaluations to identify limitations and strengths of foundation models, informing clinical adoption and research best practices.

  • Disseminating findings through leading conferences and open-access publications to facilitate adoption by diverse research groups and clinical users.

  • GitHub Preprint

Representation Learning
& Efficient Data Utilization

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Representation Learning & Efficient Data Utilization

  • Exploring innovative representation learning methods, including self-supervised learning (SSL), to enhance feature extraction and downstream task performance from minimally labeled datasets.

  • Analyzing the impact of embedding and representation quality on model performance, interpretability, and efficiency in limited-data contexts.

  • Developing new methods to leverage clinical text, tabular data, and imaging biomarkers, improving model accuracy and reducing dependency on costly annotated datasets.

  • Investigating fairness and bias in learned data representations to ensure equitable clinical performance across diverse demographic groups.

  • Slide Deck Video Preprint

Medical Data Systems:
Strategic Insights & Clinical Operations

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Medical Data Systems:
Strategic Insights & Clinical Operations

    Medical Data Systems Diagram

  • Designing end-to-end systems to collect, clean, and analyze clinical data—including automated preprocessing of procedural video—for real-time quality assessment, privacy protection, and scalable downstream analysis.

  • Using performance and procedural metrics (e.g., video laryngoscopy outcomes) to uncover workflow inefficiencies, support training, and drive process refinement across diverse clinical environments.

  • Collaborating with clinicians, administrators, IT teams, and insurers to align AI tools with hospital workflows, operational goals, and implementation constraints.

  • Demo GitHub GitHub

Portfolio

Previous work

Smart Airway Management

Computer vision for real-time intubation guidance.

Demo

Project Embrace

Distributing healthcare devices to underserved patient populations.

Slide Deck

Ultrafast Endocytosis

Investigating Calcium's Pivotal Role in Neurotransmitter Release.

Poster

Let's Work Together

Join me in creating AI solutions to alleviate healthcare provider burnout, extend care to underserved communities, and enhance patient quality of life. Let's make a positive impact together.

Contact Me

Academic Works

Publications and Awards
Publications + Presentations
Honors + Awards

Design and Evaluation of Automatic System for Medical Dataset Development

Hoyer, G., Tong, M.W., Bhattacharjee, R. et al. Scalable Evaluation Framework for Foundation Models in Musculoskeletal MRI Bridging Computational Innovation with Clinical Utility. (2025). (under review at Nat. Commun.).

  • GitHub Preprint Supplementary Data

    • Foundations of a Knee-Joint Digital Twin

    Hoyer, G., Gao, K.T., Gassert, F.G. et al. Foundations of a knee joint digital twin from qMRI biomarkers for osteoarthritis and knee replacement. npj Digit. Med. 8, 118 (2025).

  • GitHub GitHub Paper Supplementary Data

    • An Evaluation on Model Fairness in a Self-Supervised Learning Paradigm

    Huang, H., Hoyer, G., Hess, M. et al. Demographic Bias Always Affect Model Fairness? An Evaluation with Musculoskeletal Imaging. (2025). (under review at Conference on Health, Inference, and Learning (CHIL)).

  • GitHub Preprint

    • Validation of the Clinical Viability of ML Tools and Automated Analysis: A Case Study in Thigh Muscle Segmentation.

    Liu, F., Hoyer, G., Ziegeler K. et al. Validation of a Fully Automized Volumetric Thigh Muscle Segmentation Pipeline Using Segment Anything. In Proceedings of the OARSI World Congress, Incheon, South Korea, (2025).

    MskSAM - Foundation model for Musculoskeletal MRI Segmentation

    Hoyer, G. & Tong, M.W. et al. Towards a Generalizable Foundation Model for Multi-Tissue Musculoskeletal MRI Segmentation. In Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Meeting of ISMRM, Session: The Future of AI in MRI: Emerging Technologies & Directions, Singapore, (2024), 8045. (Awarded Magna Cum Laude).

  • Abstract

    • Quantitative MRI Interpretable 100D Feature Space

    Hoyer, G., Gao, K.T., et al. Quantitative MRI Interpretable 100D Feature Space of Knee Osteoarthritis. In Proceedings of the 31st Annual Meeting of ISMRM, Session: ML/AI New Ideas, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, (2023), 993.

  • Slide Deck Video

    • Comparison of Procedural Distancing in Airway Management

    Hoyer, G., Runnels, S. et al. Comparison of Procedural Distancing of Primary and Advanced Intubation Techniques. In Proceedings of the Difficult Airway Society Annual Meeting, UK, (2020).

    Collection and Strategic Use of Intubation Data

    Hoyer, G., Runnels, S., Kuck, K. et al Automatic Video Laryngoscope Archiving System, First Pass Rates in Archived Intubations. In Proceedings of the Society for Technology in Anesthesia Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, (2020).

    Investigating Beta-Coherence in Parkinsonian Rats: Self-Directed Motion Effects

    Dorval A., Polar C., Hoyer, G. Cortico-Subthalamic Beta-Coherence Suppression During High-Intensity, Self-Directed Motion in a Parkinsonian Rat Model. In Proceedings of the 9th International IEEE/EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering (NER), IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, San Francisco, CA, (2019), 491.

  • Poster

    • Towards the Provision of Sustainable Medical Materials to Low and Middle-Income Countries

    Sudabattula, M. & Hoyer, G. Towards the Provision of Sustainable Medical Materials to Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Non-Profit Case Study. In Proceedings of the 2017 International Health Conference, Session: Health Inequalities and Big Data, St. Hugh's College, Oxford, UK, (2017), 178.

    Fletcher Jones Fellowship Nominee

    2025

    Nominated for a competitive research fellowship recognizing outstanding dissertation research and potential for significant contributions to health sciences.

    UCSF Discovery Fellowship

    2023 – Present

    Discovery Fellows are chosen for their leadership potential, excellence in research, community-mindedness, and communications skills. The role entails advocating for UCSF's foundational and biomedical science programs while championing innovative research within healthcare.

    NIH T32 BioE Training Grant

    2021 – 2022

    NSF National I-Corps Program Grant

    2021

    The National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) program offers experiential education to equip researchers with valuable insights into entrepreneurship, business startup, and industry demands and challenges. I-Corps serves as a catalyst for turning inventions into real-world impact, combining scientific exploration with industrial discovery in a rigorous, relevant, and evidence-based environment. This program empowers researchers to accelerate the transition of lab concepts to market-ready solutions, contributing to a national innovation network that transforms scientific research into societal benefits.

    NASA Space Grant Fellowship

    2019 – 2021

    Initiated in 1989, the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Project, or Space Grant, is a national network of colleges and universities aimed at expanding opportunities for Americans to engage in NASA’s aeronautics and space projects. This includes supporting science and engineering education, research, and public outreach efforts to enhance understanding and participation in space exploration and related fields.

    Chevron Scholarship for Women in Stem

    2018 – 2019

    The Chevron Scholarship for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields supports self-identified women majoring in STEM. Created for the Women's Resource Center, this scholarship aims to encourage and assist women pursuing education and careers in science, technology, engineering, or math.

    Bioscience Undergraduate Research Scholar

    2015 – 2017

    Awarded by the Department of Biology at the University of Utah, this recognition supports and acknowledges outstanding undergraduate students engaged in bioscience research. The program aims to foster a deeper understanding and passion for scientific inquiry among bioscience students through active participation in research projects and initiatives.

    NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Grant

    2015 – 2016

    Associated with the Neural Information Lab and Dr. Chuck Alan Dorval, the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program encourages active research participation by undergraduate students in areas funded by the National Science Foundation. This initiative aims to provide undergraduates with hands-on research experience, fostering a deeper engagement and understanding in their field of study.

    ACCESS Program for Women in STEM Scholar

    2014 – 2015

    A scholarship award and first-year experience designed specifically for incoming fresh-women with a keen interest in the sciences, including math, biology, chemistry, or physics. The ACCESS Program supports and encourages women embarking on their journey in STEM fields, aiming to provide them with foundational support, mentorship, and engagement in their chosen disciplines.

    Skills

    My technical growth

    Skill Level Guide

    Basic
    Intermediate
    Proficient
    Advanced
    Highly Advanced

    Research and Analytics

    9+ years Development

    Experimental Design

    (Hypothesis formulation, study protocols)

    Statistical Data Analysis

    (Regression, hypothesis testing, inference)

    Predictive Analytics

    (Time-series modeling, forecasting)

    Statistical Modeling

    (Mixed-effects, survival analysis)

    Technical Writing

    (Manuscripts, grant proposals, whitepapers)

    Oral Communication

    (Presentations, stakeholder briefings)

    Independent Research

    (Study conception, implementation)

    Biomedical Informatics

    (Clinical databases, healthcare analytics)

    Machine Learning & Data Science

    5+ Years Development

    Python Data Stack

    (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Jupyter, Statsmodels)

    Machine Learning

    (scikit-learn, XGBoost, LightGBM, AutoML tools such as Auto-Sklearn)

    Deep Learning

    (PyTorch, TensorFlow, PyTorch Lightning, Hugging Face Transformers)

    Geometric Deep Learning

    (PyTorch Geometric, Graph Neural Networks)

    Computer Vision & Medical Imaging

    (OpenCV, MONAI, SimpleITK, nibabel)

    Distributed Computing

    (CUDA, PyTorch DDP, MPI, Slurm)

    Data Visualization

    (Matplotlib, Plotly, Seaborn, PyVista)

    Software & Web Development

    6+ Years Development

    Frontend Development

    (JavaScript, TypeScript, React.js, CSS)

    Backend Development

    (Node.js, FastAPI, Flask)

    Database & Cache Systems

    (Redis, MongoDB)

    API & Integration

    (RESTful API design, WebSockets, GraphQL)

    DevOps & Cloud

    (Docker, AWS/GCP/Azure)

    Version Control & Collaboration

    (Git, GitHub, GitLab)

    Technical & Domain Knowledge

    5+ years Development

    Biomedical Informatics

    (EHR data, HL7/FHIR)

    MRI Physics & Imaging

    (T1/T2 imaging sequences, quantitative MRI methods)

    MATLAB Programming

    (Signal processing, quantitative simulation)

    Medical Device & Clinical Hardware Understanding

    (Knowledge of clinical instrumentation, device interoperability)

    Clinical Workflow Integration

    (Technical integration of new technologies into clinical systems and existing healthcare IT infrastructure)

    Healthcare Innovation & Strategic Implementation

    5+ years Development

    Product Development & Innovation Strategy

    (Market fit, customer discovery, NSF I-Corps methodology, translation to clinical practice)

    Clinical Development & Validation

    (Pilot studies, regulatory submissions for medical technologies)

    Regulatory Strategy & Compliance

    (FDA regulations, HIPAA compliance strategies, ethics & data privacy)

    Healthcare Project & Program Management

    (Project timelines, milestones, agile methodology, stakeholder engagement)

    Public Speaking & Scientific Communication

    (Presentations, industry & academic forums)

    Stakeholder & Market Analysis

    (Clinician & stakeholder interviews, usability studies, needs assessments)

    Team Leadership & Interdisciplinary Collaboration

    (Managing research teams, collaboration with clinicians, engineers, and students)

    Engineering & Design Methodology

    (Engineering prototyping, iterative development, user-centered design)

    Contact Me

    Get in touch

    Email

    gabbie.hoyer@ucsf.edu
    gabrielle_hoyer@berkeley.edu

    Location

    Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, UCSF
    1700 4th St., Suite 201
    San Francisco, CA 94158
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