James F. Casella, MD
Pediatric Hematology
Highlights
Johns Hopkins Affiliations:
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Faculty
About James F. Casella
Professional Titles
- Chief of Pediatric Hematology
- Director, Basic and Translational Research Program and Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center at Johns Hopkins
- Director, Comprehensive Hemophilia Treatment Center at Johns Hopkins
- Rainey Professor of Pediatric Hematology
Primary Academic Title
Professor of Pediatrics
Background
Dr. James Casella is a professor of pediatrics and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. As the Johns Hopkins’ Rainey Professor of Pediatric Hematology, Dr. Casella is chief of the Division of Pediatric Hematology at Johns Hopkins Children's and director of the Basic and Translational Research Program in Sickle Cell Disease, Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and the Maryland Hemophilia Treatment Center at Johns Hopkins.
He supervises several labs investigating the cellular and molecular basis of pediatric blood-borne diseases. He is seeking to develop better treatments for sickle cell disease and the prevention of central nervous system complications of this disorder, including stroke.
Dr. Casella received his undergraduate degree in mathematics from Union College. He earned his M.D. from SUNY of Syracuse and completed a residency in pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he was subsequently a fellow in hematology/oncology. He has been a member of the Johns Hopkins’ faculty since 1983.
A research scientist as well as a clinician, he co-directs the hematology/oncology fellowship program at Johns Hopkins Hospital and is an adjunct senior investigator (Pediatric Oncology Branch) in the Division of Clinical Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. He is also director of the NHLBI-funded K12 in benign hematology program at Johns Hopkins that trains young clinician/investigators in benign hematology and transfusion medicine.
Dr. Casella has served on numerous university, hospital, and advisory committees, many geared toward hematology, pediatrics and transfusion. He has received many awards from the Johns Hopkins Hospital, including the Alexander "Buck" Schaffer Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Teaching of House Officers. He and a colleague created the Johns Hopkins/St. Agnes Comprehensive Hemophilia Clinic to improve care for patients with the disease.
Centers and Institutes
Clinical Trial Keywords
Genetics and proteomics of sickle cell disease; Vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease; Neurovascular disease in sickle cell disease
Clinical Trials Summary
Hydroxyurea to Prevent Brain Injury in Sickle Cell Disease (HUPrevent)
Additional Academic Titles
Professor of Oncology
Research Interests
Hemophilia, Inherited blood disorders, Sickle Cell Disease, with emphasis on neurologic complications
Research Summary
Dr. Casella’s research focuses on sickle cell disease, with an emphasis on neurologic complications. One of his current projects uses a non-biased proteomic analysis of plasma samples from the ongoing Pediatric Silent Infarct Transfusion (SIT) Trial from patients with or without sickle cell disease.
Selected Publications
Hulbert ML, Scothorn, DJ, Panepinto JA, Scott JP, Buchanan GR, Sarnaik S, Fallon R, Chu J-Y, Wang W, Casella JF, Resar L, Berman, B, Adamkiewicz T, Hsu LL, Smith-Whitley K, Mahoney D, Woods G, Watanabe M, and DeBaun MR. “Exchange blood transfusion for first overt stroke is associated with a lower risk of subsequent stroke than simple transfusion: a retrospective cohort of 137 children with sickle cell anemia.” J Pediatr 149: 710-2, 2006.
Khan J, Takemoto C, Casella J, Streiff M, Nwanko I, and Kim J. “Catheter-directed thrombolysis of inferior vena cava thrombosis in a 13-day old neonate and review of literature.” CardioVascular & Interventional Rad, October 2007.
Phillips KL, An P, Boyd JH, Strunk RC, Casella JF, Barton BA, and DeBaun MR. “Major Gene Effect and Additive Familial Pattern of Inheritance of Asthma Exist among Families of Probands with Sickle Cell Anemia and Asthma.” Am J Human Biol, April, 2007.
Scothorn, DJ, Price C, Buchanan GR, Shurney W, Schwartz D, Sarniak I, Fallon R, Chu JY, Wang W, Casella JF, Resar L, Berman B, Adamkiewicz T, Hsu L, Ohene-Frempong K, Smith-Whitley K, Mahoney D, Scott JP, Woods G, Watanabe M, and DeBaun MR. “Rates of hospitalization for pain and acute chest syndrome in children with sickle cell anemia after five years or more of blood transfusion therapy following stroke.” Manuscript in preparation.
Strouse JJ, Takemoto CM, Keefer JR, Kato GJ, Casella JF. “Corticosteroids and Increased Risk of Readmission after Acute Chest Syndrome in Children with Sickle Cell Disease.” Pediatric Blood and Cancer 2007 Sep 11; [Epub ahead of print].
Honors
- Outstanding Clinical Teaching of House Officers, Alexander J. Schaffer Award, 1/1/97
- Established Investigator Award, American Heart Association, 1/1/91
- John Howland Award, Johns Hopkins University, 1/1/88
- Honorable Mention Young Investigator Award for Pediatric Research, Society for Pediatric Research, 1/1/86
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow National Research Service Individual Award, 1/1/82
- Postdoctoral Research Fellow, American Heart Association Maryland, 1/1/81
- Summa Cum Laude, Union College, 1/1/72
- Phi Beta Kappa, 1/1/72
Memberships
- American Society of Hematology
- American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Society for Pediatric Research
Professional Activities
- National Hemophilia Foundation, Maryland Chapter, Medical Advisor
- Pediatrics, Editorial Board
Locations
- Rubenstein Child Health Building
- 200 North Wolfe Street, Rubenstein BLDG Lower Level, Baltimore, MD 21287
- phone: 443-997-5437
- fax: 410-367-2748
Expertise
Education
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Fellowship, Hematology and Oncology, 1980Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Residency, Pediatrics, 1979SUNY Upstate Medical University
Medical Education, MD, 1976Board Certifications
Pediatrics
American Board of Pediatrics, 1982Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
American Board of Pediatrics, 1982Insurance
- Aetna
- CareFirst
- Cigna
- First Health
- Geisinger Health Plan
- HealthSmart/Accel
- Humana
- Johns Hopkins Health Plans
- MultiPlan
- Pennsylvania's Preferred Health Networks (PPHN)
- Point Comfort Underwriters
- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
- UnitedHealthcare
- Veteran Affairs Community Care Network (Optum-VACCN)