Our Team
Rheumatology:
Biochemistry:
Cardiology:
Dermatology:
Richard Jahan-Tigh, MD
Pulmonary:
Research Staff/Trainees:
Julio Charles, MS
Senior Research Associate / Laboratory Manager
Julio Charles is a senior research associate who joined the division of Rheumatology in November of 2000. With over twenty years of experience, he has contributed to almost all translational research projects in the Scleroderma Program. He has overseen the operations of Scleroderma Program laboratories over the last couple of decades by generating data for publications, instituting novel platforms that will enable the attainment of current and future laboratory goals, and ensuring that the laboratories are well equipped to handle any incoming assignments. He also designed and implemented two large-scale sample inventory databases to manage our scleroderma biorepositories.
Senior Research Associate / Laboratory Manager
Julio Charles is a senior research associate who joined the division of Rheumatology in November of 2000. With over twenty years of experience, he has contributed to almost all translational research projects in the Scleroderma Program. He has overseen the operations of Scleroderma Program laboratories over the last couple of decades by generating data for publications, instituting novel platforms that will enable the attainment of current and future laboratory goals, and ensuring that the laboratories are well equipped to handle any incoming assignments. He also designed and implemented two large-scale sample inventory databases to manage our scleroderma biorepositories.
Ashish Balar
Research Scientist
Research Scientist
Gladys Estrada, BSN, RN
Research Nurse
Gladys Estrada is a Research Nurse with the UTHealth Houston Scleroderma Research Team in the Division of Rheumatology. She supports clinical research studies through participant screening and enrollment, informed consent, study visits, specimen collection, data management, and regulatory compliance. She works closely with investigators and research staff to ensure the accurate and efficient conduct of clinical research activities.
Research Nurse
Gladys Estrada is a Research Nurse with the UTHealth Houston Scleroderma Research Team in the Division of Rheumatology. She supports clinical research studies through participant screening and enrollment, informed consent, study visits, specimen collection, data management, and regulatory compliance. She works closely with investigators and research staff to ensure the accurate and efficient conduct of clinical research activities.
Olivia Harding, MPH
Research Coordinator II
Olivia Harding is a Research Coordinator in the Rheumatology Division, supporting NIH-funded and donor-funded studies on gastrointestinal manifestations of scleroderma as well as a registry examining the impact of nutrition on GI symptoms. Her work focuses on improving understanding of patient experiences and outcomes. She brings a strong patient-centered perspective from her own experience as a former clinical trial participant, and collaborates closely with investigators, staff, and patients to ensure clear communication, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Research Coordinator II
Olivia Harding is a Research Coordinator in the Rheumatology Division, supporting NIH-funded and donor-funded studies on gastrointestinal manifestations of scleroderma as well as a registry examining the impact of nutrition on GI symptoms. Her work focuses on improving understanding of patient experiences and outcomes. She brings a strong patient-centered perspective from her own experience as a former clinical trial participant, and collaborates closely with investigators, staff, and patients to ensure clear communication, safety, and regulatory compliance.
Deokhwa Nam, PhD
Research Assistant III
Dr. Nam joined UTHealth Houston as Research Assistant III in the Division of Rheumatology in 2026. With over 20 years of experience in in vivo mouse handling, molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, and confocal imaging. Proficient in managing various primary and cancer cell cultures. His research focuses on developing experimental model(s) for, and to identify potential mediators of, the effect of chronic DNASE1L3 deficiency on pulmonary vasculature.
Support: Brian Skaug, MD, PhD
Research Assistant III
Dr. Nam joined UTHealth Houston as Research Assistant III in the Division of Rheumatology in 2026. With over 20 years of experience in in vivo mouse handling, molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, and confocal imaging. Proficient in managing various primary and cancer cell cultures. His research focuses on developing experimental model(s) for, and to identify potential mediators of, the effect of chronic DNASE1L3 deficiency on pulmonary vasculature.
Support: Brian Skaug, MD, PhD
Enrique Rodriguez
Research Coordinator II
Enrique Rodriguez joined UTHealth Houston in 2026 as a clinical research coordinator in the Scleroderma and Myositis Clinic, where he helps manage clinical trials and oversees the myositis patient registry (MYORISE). Prior to that, he conducted clinical research in pediatric emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine-Texas Children’s Hospital. During his undergraduate years, he worked in a research laboratory studying inflammatory responses in macrophages. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacological Chemistry.
Research Coordinator II
Enrique Rodriguez joined UTHealth Houston in 2026 as a clinical research coordinator in the Scleroderma and Myositis Clinic, where he helps manage clinical trials and oversees the myositis patient registry (MYORISE). Prior to that, he conducted clinical research in pediatric emergency medicine at Baylor College of Medicine-Texas Children’s Hospital. During his undergraduate years, he worked in a research laboratory studying inflammatory responses in macrophages. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacological Chemistry.
Samuel Theodore, MD
Research Coordinator II
Sam Theodore has been a member of the UTHealth Scleroderma research team since 2008. He is the research coordinator for two Scleroderma, observational longitudinal studies. GENISOS, which enrolled its first patient in 1998, is an ongoing, local cohort study. The second is Collaborative, National Quality and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER), a multicenter cohort study conducted in 18 Medical Centers that are seeking to identify, the commonalities in the trigger, evolution and treatment of Scleroderma.
Research Coordinator II
Sam Theodore has been a member of the UTHealth Scleroderma research team since 2008. He is the research coordinator for two Scleroderma, observational longitudinal studies. GENISOS, which enrolled its first patient in 1998, is an ongoing, local cohort study. The second is Collaborative, National Quality and Efficacy Registry (CONQUER), a multicenter cohort study conducted in 18 Medical Centers that are seeking to identify, the commonalities in the trigger, evolution and treatment of Scleroderma.
Maya Washington
Research Coordinator II
Research Coordinator II