The Many Faces of UTHealth Houston: Mya Schiess

Nationally recognized for her work in Parkinson’s disease and related conditions, Mya Schiess, MD, professor of neurology, Adriana Blood Distinguished Chair in Neurology, and board-certified movement disorder specialist, has built a distinguished career at UTHealth Houston blending clinical care, research, and education.

Driven by her early love of psychology and philosophy, as well as a drive to serve patients, she continues to advance care for those living with movement disorders.

“I realized I liked working with people, but if I was going to be of any kind of benefit, I needed to not be in a lab but a clinic setting,” she said.

Early inspirations and career path

Raised in New Mexico, Schiess was fascinated by human behavior from a young age.

“I have to be honest, I was pretty nerdy from the beginning,” Schiess laughed, as she recalled reading the works of noted psychologists like Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Abraham Maslow throughout her teenage years.

That intellectual curiosity led her to the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied psychology with every intention of becoming a scientist. But her experience working in county hospitals shifted her path.

“It was a real eye-opener for me,” she said. “I realized I liked working with people, and I needed to be in a setting where I could make a direct impact.”

For Schiess, the work was hands-on and deeply personal, unlike the career in lab research she originally envisioned for herself.

That realization steered her to medicine with a focus in neurology, and ultimately toward UTHealth Houston, where she has built a career that blends clinical expertise, leadership, research, and patient advocacy.

Advancing Parkinson’s disease research

Over time, Schiess established herself as a leading clinician and researcher.

In the Movement Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases Program at UTHealth Houston, Schiess works with patients facing Parkinson’s disease, tremor, dystonia, spasticity, and related movement disorders. Her leadership has helped expand both the scope of research and the resources available to patients across Houston and beyond.

“Our goal is to slow disease progression and enhance quality of life,” she said. “Research is about pushing boundaries, but also about staying focused on what matters most: the patients and their families.”

Her team’s work spans clinical trials, translational research investigating disease progression, and the development of innovative care models that integrate patient support with advanced treatment.

This balance of science and compassion reflects her belief in medicine as both discovery and service to all.

A love for nature and balance

When she is not in the clinic or lab, Schiess finds peace outdoors. “I love the Rockies, but my favorites are in northern New Mexico, including the Sangre de Cristos, the Jemez, Santa Fe, and Taos,” she said.

Hiking these trails connects her back to her roots and provides balance to the demands of academic medicine.

Family is equally important. “Kids and grandkids, that’s what keeps me grounded,” she said.

A lasting impact

Looking back, Schiess sees her career as a continuation of the same passion that drove her as a teenager in New Mexico. From her early fascination with psychology to her leadership in neurology, her path has been guided by curiosity, compassion, and commitment to service.