Meet Our Staff
Nikhil Joshi,
MD, Interventional Cardiology
Principle Investigator
Dr. Joshi has been a principal investigator at Sherman Clinical Research since 2016. Dr. Joshi has completed over 20 clinical trials in the areas of preserved and reduced EF-Congestive Heart Failure, cardiac device, and hypercholesterolemia...
Dr. Joshi is a provider at North Texas Comprehensive Cardiology, which is the echo and outpatient surgery location for Sherman Clinical Research trials. Dr. Joshi has also been the Director of the Catheterization Lab and Chief of Cardiology since 2011 at Wilson N. Jones Memorial Hospital.
Tariq Yousuf
MD, Interventional Cardiology
Principle Investigator
Tariq Yousuf, M.D. is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, but has moved to Texas to be closer to his family in Dallas. Dr. Yousuf’s practice focuses on general cardiology, coronary and peripheral intervention and device implantation. He utilizes ...technological advancements to offer his patients relief from chest pain, including imaging and physiologically guided stent placement. He received advanced training in general and interventional cardiology at Tulane University in New Orleans. Dr. Yousuf completed his residency at the University of Illinois Chicago/Advocate Christ Medical Center. Dr. Yousuf has published over 20 articles in peer-review journals demonstrating his drive to practice evidence based medicine and to acquire cutting edge information to help heal his patients. In addition, he has won several research awards and even participated in Cardiology jeopardy competitions on the state and national level.
Dr. Yousuf is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and a maintains board certifications across several specialties that demonstrate his areas of expertise including general cardiology, echocardiography, nuclear cardiology, vascular medicine and internal medicine.
Kathy Kirkland,
MPH, PA-C
Principle Investigator
Ms. Kirkland has been a sub-investigator at Sherman Clinical Research since 2017. While working closely with Dr. Joshi on cardiology clinical trials, Kathy Kirkland continues to provide services to Wilson N. Jones Hospital and North Texas Comprehensive Cardiology....
Kathy also worked on cardiovascular surgery research from 1996-2002 as a clinical research coordinator. Kathy is an advocate for her patients and is passionate about clinical research.
Irfanullah Yusufzai
MD, Pulmonary And Sleep Medicine
Principle Investigator
Dr. Yusufzai has been a principal investigator with Sherman Clinical Research since 2016. In that time, Dr. Yusufzai was a PI on over 80 clinical trials in the indications of COPD, Asthma, Pneumonia, and RSV, as well as non-pulmonary studies....
In recent years, Dr. Yusufzai’s interest and patient database led him to be a high enroller in non-erosive esophagitis studies. Dr. Yusufzai is also working on fatty liver (NASH), smoking cessation, and infectious disease trials.
Dr. Yusufzai is also a hospitalist at Carrus Hospital, Wilson N. Jones, and Texoma Medical Center. Dr. Yusufzai continues to serve his patients in an outpatient setting at Summit Pulmonary and Sleep.
Muqdad Zuriqat
MD, Pulmonary, Sleep Medicine And Critical Care
Principle Investigator
Dr. Zuriqat has performed as principal investigator for over 80 clinical trials with Sherman Clinical Research. Dr. Zuriqat has been a PI since 2016 and has led Phase II-Phase IV clinical trials in the indications of COPD, Asthma, Pneumonia, and RSV. ...
Dr. Zuriqat is also a hospitalist at Carrus Hospital, Wilson N. Jones, and Texoma Medical Center. Dr. Zuriqat has held the position of Medical Director of the Respiratory Department and the Sleep Lab at Wilson N. Jones Memorial Hospital since 2007.
Dr. Zuriqat also practices in the outpatient setting at his two office practice locations. Summit Pulmonary and Sleep has been offering services for the Sherman community since 2007. Summit Pulmonary has DLCO and PFT machines on-site and is located in the same building as Sherman Clinical Research.
Minaxi Rathod
MD, Infectious Disease
Principal Investigator
Dr. Minaxi Rathod is a distinguished clinical research Principal Investigator based in Sherman, Texas. With a career spanning over four decades, Dr. Rathod has made significant contributions to the field of infectious disease medicine both in clinical practice and research. ...
Currently serving as the Principal Investigator at Sherman Clinical Research since January 2022, she leads groundbreaking research endeavors aimed at advancing healthcare solutions. Dr. Rathod's expertise is rooted in her extensive education and training. She completed her Fellowship in Infectious Disease and Epidemiology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, after finishing her Internal Medicine Residency at Mercy Hospital and Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Her medical journey began with an M.B.B.S. degree from N. H.L. Medical School in Ahmedabad, India, following her pre-medical education at St. Xavier’s Science College. With a steadfast commitment to improving patient outcomes and advancing medical knowledge, Dr. Rathod continues to shape the landscape of infectious disease research and clinical practice.
Maya Pudi,
MBS, CRC
Site Director
Maya Pudi has been working in the clinical research industry since 2010. Starting out as a research assistant in Upstate Pharmaceutical Research and Emory University Hospital Midtown, Maya received her first publication working with PI Dr. Chandan Devireddy in his academic cardiology clinic....
After completing her undergraduate degree at NYU, Maya completed her Master in Biomedical Science at The Commonwealth Medical College. Returning back to South Carolina after graduation, Maya was site director of Anderson Medical Research in 2015.
In 2016, Sherman Clinical Research was founded, and the site began working on COPD, Asthma, and Congestive Heart Failure trials. Today, Maya is working as site director of Sherman Clinical Research. Sherman Clinical Research continues to work with more physicians and therapeutic areas.
Currently, Sherman Clinical Research is conducting clinical trials in Infectious Diseases, Metabolic Diseases, Gastroenterology, as well as Cardiology and Pulmonology. SCR’s patient database now extends into southern Oklahoma and North Dallas.
Morgan Whitson
MS, CRC
Site Manager
Morgan Whitson began her relationship with research as a Master of Science Student at Texas Tech University in 2014. Morgan created her own research protocol and submitted her study to the local IRB of Texas Tech. Upon graduating, Morgan...
stepped into the clinical research field with a solid foundation in regulatory, GCP, and protocol design.
Since 2016, Morgan has worked on over 100 clinical trials in the therapeutic areas of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Metabolic Disease, and Infectious Disease. Morgan has been the site manager of Sherman Clinical Research since 2020.