Providers
Rashmee Patil, MD
CEO and Principal Investigator
Specialty: Hepatology, Internal Medicine
- Principal Investigator for over 100 research studies in the areas of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Founder of South Texas Research Institute, the premier clinical research site network of the Rio Grande Valley
- Director of the Hepatology Department at DHR Liver & Transplant Institute
Madhavi Rudraraju, MD
Principal Investigator
San Antonio, TX
Specialties: Gastroenterology and Transplant Hepatology
Education: Andhra Medical College, 2001
Residency: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 2006
Fellowship:
Transplant Hepatology at Mayo Clinic – Arizona, 2007
Gastroenterology and Hepatology at University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, 2010
Practicing Since: 2010
Certifications/Publications: Over 6 original publications in peer-reviewed journals and 4 publications worldwide. 3 board certifications, and over 2 years of research support in the areas of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
Provider Background: Dr. Rudraraju is a board certified hepatologist with over 12 years of practice. Throughout her career she has had tremendous positions, including:
Medical Director of Methodist Liver Disease and Transplant Program VNOS Director
Medical Executive Committee as Chief of Transplant service line
Clinical Review Committee
Physician Advisory Committee
Active member of American Medical Association, American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterology Association, and the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease, and European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL).
Dr. Rudraraju has been with Pinnacle since 2020 and has formed a multitude of relationships with San Antonio’s physicians and experts to raise awareness of liver disease and find a treatment for the patients that need it most.
Carlos Duncker, MD, PhD
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Certifications/publications: Has authored over 170 medical publications and over 20 years of clinical research support in multiple therapeutic areas. He is a founding member of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology and was a Reviewer for the European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging for 12 years, as well as Professor of Medicine and Radiology for over 10 years
- Global Director of Medical Affairs at Perspectum Ltd.
- Manager of Hepatology Research at the Texas Digestive Disease Consultants
- Senior Researcher at National Institutes of Health Research System
- Head Molecular Nuclear Medicine for the Children’s Hospital of Mexico
Heather Delaney, MD
Principal Investigator
Dimple Patel Desai, MD
Principal Investigator
Brownsville, TX
- Expertise in obesity medicine, integrative medicine, and behavioral health
- Award-winning author of “The Lambda Factor”
David Ramirez Jr., DO
Principal Investigator
Edinburg, TX
Mary Margaret Ara, MD
Principal Investigator
Specialty: Family Medicine
Medical Education: The University of Texas at Austin; The University of Texas Medical School at Houston (McGovern School of Medicine)
Residency: Christus Spohn Family Medicine Residency Program Corpus Christi
Practicing Since: 2011
Certification/publications: Board Certified by American Board of Family Medicine
Provider Background: Dr. Ara is a native of South Texas. She has worked for more than a decade in the Corpus Christi area, providing inpatient and outpatient care to a diverse population of patients. She has been involved with residency education and has served on numerous hospital committees and boards during her time in Corpus. Dr. Ara is passionate about preventative measures and counseling her patients on ways they can help prevent disease progression and how to identify early signs of medical comorbidities. Dr. Ara joins Pinnacle with a desire to work to identify potential treatments for metabolic syndrome associated liver disease and improve quality of life for her patients.
Hobbies: When not at the office, Dr. Ara loves to spend time with her husband Reagan and their three children. They enjoy rooting on their Texas Longhorns! And as a child of ranchers, she enjoys being outdoors, working cattle and riding horses.
Nirupama Esther Jerome,
DNP, FNP-C
Principal Investigator
Austin, TX
Education: Doctor of Nursing Practice, Purdue university, West Lafayette, Indiana
Background: From her hometown in India, Esther is multi-lingual to include: english, telugu and tamil. She comes from a previous background in internal medicine, hospitalist, orthopedic surgery, cardiology, and cardio thoracic surgery.
Memberships/Certifications:
- Certificate in post-graduate cardiothoracic nursing and operation theatre technique and management
- Member of American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Nurses Association, The Association of Clinical Research Professionals, Austin Advanced Practice Nurses, and Texas DNP
Provider Quote: To provide patient-centered care with excellence so patients are empowered and motivated to achieve their health care goals.
Lauren Jones, MPAS, PA-C
Sub-Investigator
San Antonio, TX
Master of Physician Assistant Studies at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
Shalene Thomas, MPAS, PA-C
Sub-Investigator
San Antonio, TX
MPAS at the University of Texas Health at San Antonio.
Ana Diaz, MPAS, PA-C
Sub-Investigator
San Antonio, TX
Education: BBA Finance at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
MPAS at the University of Texas Health San Antonio
Background: Ana comes from a family medicine and research background. She has previously worked for the Alliance for Health Policy in Washington, DC, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, and UT Health San Antonio Community Pediatrics. She is NCCPA certified and a bilingual spanish speaker.
Provider Quote: Striving to empower patients to live a healthier life and acquire knowledge to better manage their health conditions.
Travis Kenney, FNP-C
Sub-Investigator
Austin, TX
Education: Texas Woman’s University, Dallas, Texas
Background: From the hometown of Arlington, Texas, Travis previously worked as an ED RN and as a NP in outpatient neurology.
Provider Quote: To educate patients and to help patients achieve their health goals.
Graciela Marje,
MSN, FNP-BC
Sub-Investigator
Edinburg, TX
Petra Makia-Nfonoyim,
ACNP-BC, CRA
Sub-Investigator
South San Antonio, TX
Master’s of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas at El Paso.
Provider Quote: It gives me great joy and satisfaction when I make the health of my patients their wealth by improving their therapeutic outcomes through my guidance from evidence-based practice in research.