McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics takes center stage at AI symposium

The atmosphere was electric as doctors, researchers, innovators, students, and business professionals came together for two days to focus on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the future of health care during the 2025 UT System AI Symposium in Health Care.

More than 600 people gathered at the TMC3 Collaborative Building at Helix Park in the Texas Medical Center to experience panel discussions on UT System collaboration, nationwide AI initiatives, and regulatory strategy along with breakout tracks focused on AI applications in imaging, clinical trials, governance, operations, and education.

UTHealth Houston’s role at the symposium

At the forefront of this dynamic conversation were the faculty and staff of McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston. Their leadership was prominently featured at the symposium, reflecting the school’s growing national influence in the field.

Kicking off the symposium was Jiajie Zhang, PhD, dean, professor, and The Glassell Family Foundation Distinguished Chair in Informatics Excellence at McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics, who delivered the opening address on the current state of AI to a packed audience. Zhang’s remarks set the tone for a day rich in dialogue and insight.

Further cementing McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics’ integral role in shaping the discussion, four of the five breakout sessions were led by the school’s faculty members, and throughout the day three contributed as panelists: Hongfang Liu, professor, D. Bradley McWilliams chair, and vice president of Learning Health Systems; Susan Fenton, PhD, vice dean of Education and Dr. Doris L. Ross Professor of Health Informatics; and Xiaoqian Jiang, PhD, chair of the Department of Health Data Science and AI and Christopher Sarofim Family Professor in Biomedical Informatics and Bioengineering.

The academic keynote was delivered by Peter Embí, MD, MS, professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He emphasized the importance of responsible innovation in biomedical research, clinical practice, and medical education — especially the role universities must play in steering AI’s development.

“Without a doubt, McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics is among the very few elite programs in the country that is really leading the way when it comes to the intersection of data technology, health care, and biomedicine,” Embí said. “Nationally, there are maybe 10 to a dozen that are of this caliber, and there are a few more that are growing. But when it comes to the state of Texas, hands down, McWilliams is the top program.”

The future of AI in health care

Interest in AI is clearly on the rise, and McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics is seeing that firsthand. With growing public awareness of AI’s potential to transform workflows and daily tasks in health care, the school has experienced a significant increase in applications for its master’s and PhD programs. This past semester, the school reached a record-high enrollment.

“We are not expecting a reduction any time soon, and we are very selective in who we accept,” Fenton said. “Students have to meet our high standards just to get in, and it’s a very technical field, so if we admit someone, we want to be very sure that they are going to be successful and graduate.”

By spearheading this systemwide initiative, UTHealth Houston and McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics showcased not only their thought leadership but also their commitment to shaping national and global standards for the ethical development and governance of AI in health care.

“AI is evolving rapidly, and health care systems must adapt thoughtfully,” Zhang said. “This symposium wasn’t just about technology – it was about trust, transparency, and collaboration across every level of health care.”

As AI becomes ever more integrated into medicine, the message from Houston is clear: the future of health care isn’t a distant vision — it’s being built now, with collaboration, responsibility, and purpose.