With over ten years of experience in health care technology and data analysis, Alexis Symons is set to graduate with a Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics from the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston. Her career path highlights the synergy of technical knowledge, compassion, and vision in effecting change in health care.
Symons has a background that includes a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Texas State University and an Associate of Science in chemistry from Blinn College. At UTHealth Houston, she has held roles such as graduate research assistant and Office of Applied Informatics program manager. Her contributions include facilitating the acquisition of cancer registry data and managing the development of the UT-MOST program project charter.
She has also been a UTHealth Houston Leads Fellow and served as a teaching assistant for the Change Management in Health Informatics course. Her efforts in instituting digital workflows during the COVID-19 pandemic and supporting pharmacogenomics initiatives further underline her competence.
Symons' current research focuses on women’s health, specifically creating AI-powered tools for better surgical care in gynecological conditions like endometriosis. She emphasizes the importance of patient feedback in improving clinical outcomes and equitable access.
Outside of academia, Symons is involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and actively participates in environmental conservation efforts. She also contributes to precision medicine through the PharmVar NAT2 Working Group.
Robert Murphy, MD, associate dean for Applied Informatics, lauds Symons as a model for the modern generation of biomedical informatics students, recognizing her desire to use technology to enhance patient and clinician empowerment.
Symons is poised to use her expertise and values-driven approach to carve a more data-driven and equitable future in health care.
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