Our Clinical Research Team
Atul K. Singhal, MD Medical Director
Dr. Singhal is Board-Certified in Rheumatology and has over 30 years of clinical experience. He earned his medical degree from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. He then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at State University of New York at Stony Brook and fellowship training in Rheumatology and Geriatric Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Mei-An Ty-Arias, MD Physician
Dr. Ty-Arias is a Board-Certified physician in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. She earned her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in the Philippines. She then completed an Internal Medicine residency at Harlem Hospital Center in affiliation with Columbia University in New York.
Sneha Patel, MD Physician
Dr. Patel is a Board-Certified physician in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. She is originally from New Jersey and moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth area in 2020.
Bassel Bou Dargham, MD Physician
Dr. Bassel Bou Dargham is a board-certified physician specializing in Rheumatology. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, followed by his Rheumatology fellowship at the University of Cincinnati.
Clinical Research Team
Joan Mendoza Lead Clinical Research Coordinator
Joan has worked at Southwest Rheumatology since September 2015, with roles in both pharmacy and regulatory. She became certified as a National Licensed Pharmacy Technician in 2004 and had nearly a decade of pharmacy experience when she joined our team. She started as a pharmacy coordinator, worked briefly in regulatory, and is now one of our study coordinators.
Chudi Nwoye Senior Clinical Research Coordinator
Chudi has practiced medicine for nearly four decades. He graduated with an MBBS from the University of Ibadan in 1980 and worked with the government hospitals for about seven years before moving on to establish a private family medical practice, which is still thriving. He came to the USA in 2018 to join his family and settled into clinical research since then. Chudi has worked almost exclusively in Rheumatology studies for the past five years and joined SW Rheumatology in 2022.
Marta Lopez Clinical Research Coordinator
Marta has worked in the medical field for 18 years as both an X-ray tech and a medical assistant. She had 8 years of rheumatology experience when she joined Southwest Rheumatology in October 2017. Marta enjoys being busy, and she works tirelessly to support the clinical research team.
Teresa Hernandez Lab Coordinator
Teresa has worked in the medical field for nearly 18 years, and she joined Southwest Rheumatology in March 2019. She has extensive experience in laboratory procedures and phlebotomy, and she has worked in a dental lab and orthopedics practice in the past. In her spare time, Teresa loves spending time with her family and friends, and she is a huge Cowboys fan.
Steve Macofsky, LMRT X-Ray Technician
Steve has worked at Southwest Rheumatology since 2009. He has had a long career in the medical field since graduating from X-ray school in 1979. In addition to his X-ray duties, Steve serves as the joint assessor for most of our research studies. Steve is a people person who loves to discover humor and joy in all aspects of life. His hobbies include travel and marine reef aquarium keeping.
Meshell Austin Office Manager
Meshell has been dedicated to her work at Southwest Rheumatology since 2007. In addition to her management responsibilities, she assists with recruitment for clinical study trials. Her mission is to help ensure that patients can afford and access the treatments prescribed for them. When insurance barriers arise, Meshell works diligently to remove administrative hurdles.
Reta Fieldsmith Sub Investigator
Reta joined our team in May 2026 as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN-C), board-certified in Adult Medicine. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and completed her education at the University of Texas at Arlington and Texas Woman’s University.
Reta is a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the Oncology Nursing Society. She is
Jody Hensley Research Assistant
Jody joined Southwest Rheumatology in May 2026, bringing more than 14 years of dedicated clinical experience to our team. After earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Kentucky, Jody successfully managed a private house-call practice, providing personalized care directly to patients.
Now Jody is bringing that same deep commitment of patient well-being to the field of
Avigail Guadarrama Pharmacy Coordinator
Avigail has worked at Southwest Rheumatology since February 2024, beginning her journey as a Research Assistant. In this role, she supported regulatory and laboratory operations before transitioning into her current role as Pharmacy Coordinator where she continues to contribute her knowledge, skills, and dedication to the team.
Jaya Ram Pandey Clinical Research Coordinator
Jaya is an ECFMG-certified international medical graduate who completed his General Surgery residency at the Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences in Kathmandu. He moved to the United States in 2025 with his wife, who is a psychiatric nurse. While preparing for his U.S. residency application, he joined Southwest Rheumatology in 2025 as a
Selvavaani Senthilkumar Clinical Research Coordinator
Selvavaani joined Southwest Rheumatology Research in 2025 as a Clinical Research Assistant. She has over seven years of experience in biomedical research, laboratory diagnostics, and clinical research. She has experience in rheumatology, immunology, oncology, and stem cell research. Selvavaani
Tricia De Cambra Regulatory Director
With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare, including the past 10 plus years in clinical research, I find it especially rewarding to be part of a field that contributes to medical advancements and improves patients' lives.
Giving back to the community has always been important to
Be Part of Advancing Rheumatology Research
Learn more about our ongoing clinical trials and how you can participate