Symons charts a data-driven future for health care

With more than a decade of experience spanning health care technology, clinical data analysis, and agile project management, Alexis Symons’ journey from certified pharmacy technician to data-driven health care leader has been anything but linear — but that’s exactly what makes it powerful.

As she prepares to graduate with a Master of Science in Biomedical Informatics from McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston, she stands as a compelling example of how technical expertise, compassion, and vision can intersect to drive transformative change in health care.

“Technology is only as powerful as the problems it solves,” Symons said. “For me, that means using data to bring visibility and solutions to the areas of health care that have historically been underserved, especially in women’s health.”

Academic path

Symons’ foundational years nurtured a curiosity for both the microscopic building blocks of life and the systems that affect how care is delivered on a macro scale. Before coming to UTHealth Houston, she earned a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from Texas State University and an Associate of Science in chemistry from Blinn College.

At UTHealth Houston, Symons has made a name for herself not only as a top student but as a strategic leader. As a graduate research assistant and Office of Applied Informatics program manager, Symons applied agile project management and change leadership strategies to help accelerate outcomes through cross-disciplinary collaboration — a model Symons sees as vital for health care innovation.

She successfully facilitated the acquisition of three years of cancer registry data and Memorial Hermann’s complete historical datasets, delivering results within three months, despite the fact the effort had been ongoing for eight years. Symons also managed the development of the institution’s approved project charter for The University of Texas Managing and Optimizing Sepsis Treatment (UT-MOST) program.

But her influence doesn’t stop at dashboards and datasets. She’s also a 2024-2025 UTHealth Houston Leads Fellow, where she sharpens her leadership, communication, and policy skills alongside emerging health care leaders.

Symons also serves as a teaching assistant for the Change Management in Health Informatics course, a natural extension of her belief that integrating new technology into clinical practice requires more than just good code; it requires cultural understanding, empathy, and trust.

“Alexis is a great example of the new, modern generation of student we see in biomedical informatics,” said Robert Murphy, MD, associate dean for Applied Informatics and associate professor of clinical and health informatics at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics. “She wants to make the world a better place and believes that technology can empower patients and clinicians to transform the world. Alexis, and students like her, will make that vision a reality in the years to come, and we will all benefit.”

Her work and research

Symons’ work is informed by her multidisciplinary training in biochemistry, genomics, pharmacology, and informatics — but equally by her personal values.

Previously, she served in key roles at a molecular diagnostics lab during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she led a swift transition from paper-based to digital workflows.

Symons’ efforts included developing internal software to cut down sample processing time and supporting pharmacogenomics initiatives to help clinicians personalize treatment plans based on genetic data. It was here that Alexis also began mentoring pharmacy students, guiding them through the complex world of genetic data interpretation.

Her current research centers on women’s health, specifically the development of AI-powered, patient-reported outcome tools to improve surgical care for gynecological conditions, such as endometriosis.

Combining principles from machine learning, human-computer interaction, and social dynamics, Symons’ practicum reimagines how patient feedback can shape both clinical outcomes and equitable access.

“Endometriosis is one of those conditions that’s underdiagnosed, misunderstood, and often dismissed,” Symons says. “By designing tools that center patient experience and streamline communication, we can start shifting that narrative and improve care delivery.”

Volunteerism

Outside the lab and classroom, Symons is a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and an advocate for environmental conservation through speleology organizations like the National Speleological Society and Texas Cave Management Association.

She’s also an active member of the American Medical Informatics Association and the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society. She volunteered for the PharmVar NAT2 Working Group, contributing to the collective advancement of precision medicine.

Symons’ future

From the micro world of molecular diagnostics to the macro lens of health systems change, Symons exemplifies the promise of biomedical informatics in action. As she crosses the graduation stage this May, she does so not just with a diploma, but with a mission: to build a more responsive, fair, and data-empowered future for health care.

And she’s just getting started.