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. Dr. Singhal has served as an Attending Physician at various hospitals on the East Coast and in Texas, and he founded his practice in Mesquite in 1997. He has a keen interest in clinical research, and he has overseen and participated in over 150 clinical research trials.
Dr. Singhal is married with four children and has lived in Dallas since 1995.
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 Internal Medicine residency at Harlem Hospital Center in affiliation with Columbia University in New York. She subsequently completed her Rheumatology fellowship at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. Following two years of rheumatology practice in Beaumont, TX, Dr. Ty-Arias relocated to Dallas in 2019 to join Southwest Rheumatology. Her areas of special interest include spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis. She is married with a son, and in her free time she enjoys gardening and cooking.
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 Dallas/Fort Worth area in 2020. Dr Patel earned her medical degree from St George’s University School of Medicine, Grenada, West Indies. She completed Internal Medicine residency at Hahnemann Hospital/Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. She then completed Rheumatology fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY. Dr Patel joined Southwest Arthritis Group in 2023. She is married to an Internal Medicine physician. Dr Patel enjoys reading, sewing, and spending time outside in the warm weather. She enjoys health and fitness and tries to incorporate this into her practice.
Nancy De La Cruz, CCRC
Certified Clinical Research Coordinator
Nancy began her medical career in 2004 as a medical assistant, and she has been involved with clinical research since 2007. Throughout her career as a clinical research coordinator, she has earned certifications from the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (2013) and National Health Career Association (2014). Nancy has extensive experience in rheumatology, internal medicine, asthma/allergy, immunology, and oncology.
Joan Mendoza
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
Research Coordinator
Chudi has practiced medicine for nearly four decades. He graduated MB;BS from 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. He is a contemplative who believes in the human person as an image of God, a philosophy that has driven his entire clinical medicine and research practice. Chudi loves to read and give counsel in his free time. He is married with four children and a granddaughter
Daisy Zambrana, CCRC
Certified Clinical Research Coordinator
Daisy joined the team in 2022. She is a Spanish bilingual medical assistant who grew her research career from research assistant in 2000 to obtaining a Certification in Clinical Research Professional SOCRA in 2002. Daisy became a Clinical Research Coordinator in 2006 gaining therapeutic experience in various specialties. She finds research rewarding and enjoys the opportunity of helping others. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, fishing, music, sleeping in late, and most of all quality time with her family.
Tameka Battiste
Research Assistant
Tameka is coming from Atlanta, GA and has been in the medical field for 20+ years starting in the United States Air Force which she served 5 ½ years. Upon discharge, she started working back/front office, research and medical billing. Tameka has been with SW Rheumatology for a year and living in Texas for almost 2 years. If not reading or being creative with arts and crafts projects, she enjoys spending time with her adult son and grandpup.
Marta Lopez
Research Assistant
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 worked at Southwest Rheumatology since 2007. Along with her management duties, she also coordinates clinical trial contracts and budgets, assists with infusion patients, and helps patients enroll in copay assistance programs. Meshell has two children and one granddaughter.