Beata Casanas, DO
Microbiology Quality Assurance Manager, Lifelink Tissue Bank, Tampa FL
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Beata Casanas is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. She is currently the Executive Medical Director of the Hillsborough County Health Department and responsible for developing clinical protocols, policies / procedures and supervision of the tuberculosis, HIV and STD clinics. One of her interests is new advances in prevention and treatment of tuberculosis. Dr. Casanas serves as attending for fellows, residents and medical students and is actively engaged in clinical teaching of infectious diseases at various levels within the University of South Florida academic programs at Tampa General Hospital.
Dr. Casanas is an accomplished polyglot and her professional interest in health disparities have been parlayed in various international and administrative academic concerns over the past few years. She has participated in various projects in India including the development of transplant tissue banking, and as a part of the faculty group of annual Indian HIV conferences sponsored by the University of South Florida CHART-India program. She has established liaisons between the University of South Florida and the Department of Infectious Diseases in Poznan, Poland. Dr. Casanas in addition served as an American International Health Alliance faculty operative in the Central Asian Republics in connection with Infectious Diseases curriculum development and medical faculty improvement. She recently traveled with University of South Florida medical students and students from the College of Public Health to deliver free medical care for underserved populations in La Sabana, Dominican Republic.
Dr. Casanas has authored several articles for medical publications and is currently the Principal Investigator and co-investigator for numerous research projects involving HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.
Areas of Expertise
Current Research
Ongoing Studies
NIH (START) Role: Co-Investigator 5/2009 – Present
Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment.
Recurrent Tuberculosis: A new look at treating an old enemy.
Role: PI 5/2009 – Present
The purpose of this research is to (1) Study the recurrence rate of Tuberculosis in HIV negative and HIV positive patients (2) Look at this patient population and determine if a difference exists between the recurrence rates and lengths of treatment (3) Compare this to current CDC recommended treatment regimen lengths for HIV positive and negative patients.
Schering-Plough (P04875) Role: Co-Investigator 4/2009
Present Efficacy and Safety of VICRIVIROC in HIV Infected Treatment-Naïve Subjects.
Pfizer (A4001078) Role: Co-Investigator 03/2009 - Present
Pilot Study of Novel Combination of Maraviroc + Atazanavir/Ritonavir vs. Atazanavir/Ritonavir + Emtricitabine/Tenofovir for the Treatment of Treatment Naïve HIV-Infected Patients with R5 HIV-1.
Gilead (GS-US-164-0216) Role: Co-Investigator 3/2009 - Present
The SWIFT Study: A Prospective, Randomized, Open-Label Phase IV Study to Evaluate the Rationale of Switching from Fixed Dose Abacavir (ABC)/Lamivudine (3TC) to Fixed-Dose Tenofovir DF (TDF)/Emtricitabine (FTC) in Virologically-Suppressed, HIV-1 Infected Patients Maintained on a Ritonavir-Boosted Protease Inhibitor-Containing Antiretroviral Regimen.
Merck (IISP 33107) Role: Co-Investigator 10/2008 – Present
A Pilot, Randomized, Controlled Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Raltegravir versus NRTIs as a Backbone in HIV-Infected Patients Switched from a Stable Boosted PI Regimen.
Tibotec (TMC278-TiDP6-C209) Role: PI 2/2008 – Present
A Phase III, randomized, double-blind trial of TMC278 75mg qd versus efavirenz 600 mg q.d in combination with fixed dose background regimen consisting of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine in antiretroviral-naïve HIV-1 infected subjects
Napo Pharmaceuticals (NP303-101 ADVENT) Role: PI 6/2007 – Present
Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Placebo-Controlled, Two-Stage Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Crofelemer 125mg, 250 mg, and 500 mg Orally Twice Daily for the Treatment of HIV-Associated Diarrhea (ADVENT Trial)
Schering Plough (P04889) Role: Co-Investigator 6/2007 – Present
Vicriviroc in Combination Treatment with an Optimized ART Regimen in HIV-Infected Treatment-Experienced Subjects (VICTOR-E4)
Gilead (GS-US-183-0130) Role: Co-Investigator 05/2007 - Present
A Phase 3, Open-Label, Multicenter Study of the Safety of Ritonavir-Boosted GS-9137 (GS-9137/r) Administered in Combination with Other Antiretroviral Agents for the Treatment of HIV-1 Infected Subjects.
Tibotec (TMC278-204) Role: PI 5/2006 – Present
A Phase IIb, Randomized, Partially Blinded, Dose-Finding Trial of TMC278 in Antiretroviral Naïve HIV-1 Infected Subjects.
Pfizer (A4001027) Role: Co-Investigator, 3/24/2005-present
A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of a Novel CCR5 Antagonist, UK-427, 857, in Combination with Optimized Background Therapy Versus Optimized Background Therapy Alone for the Treatment of Antiretroviral-Experienced HIV-1 Infected Subjects.
Publications
Keeler J, Casanas BC, Murphy M. Duration of Tuberculosis Treatment in Patients with HIV – pending submission.
Velez M, Casanas BC, Greene JN. Pasteurella multocida Infections in Cancer Patients – pending submission.
Ramarao S, Casanas BC, Greene JN. Cutaneous Tuberculosis – pending submission.
Casanas BC, Carpenter E, Logan J. Tradition Meets Modern Medicine – pending submission.
Datta I, Casanas BC, Vincent AL, Greene JN. The Red Face: Erysipelas versus Parvovirus B19, SLE and Rosacea – submitted, Infections in Medicine.
Casanas BC, Pothiawala S, Sinnott JT. An Elderly Man with NOMA Orofacial Gangrene. Infectious Diseases in Clinical Practice; 17(3);208-209, May 2009.
Casanas BC, Maldonado A, Diaz J, Logan J. Mycobacterium leprosum. Infections in Medicine; 25:11, 526-527, 2008.
Sinnott JT, Casanas B, Cooks A, Cooper C, et al. Abdominal Infections. In: MacCue J, Kahan S eds. In A Page Infectious Disease. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007.
Gompf SG, Herman BC, Tash K, Sinnott JT. A Dim View: Corneal Ulcer after Remote Refractive Surgery, Infections in Medicine; 22:621, 2005.
Gompf SG, Casanas B. Herpangina. eMedicine Journal [serial online]. 2008. Available at: http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic1004.htm
Casanas BC. Tuberculosis – Are You at Risk? April 26, 2007. Found at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Germs/story?id=3079114&page=1.
Casanas BC. Tuberculosis - What You Need to Know. May 30, 2007. Found at: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Germs/story?id=3226324&page=1.
Gompf S, Herman BC, Tash K. Pseudomonas aeruginosa corneal ulcer. Clin Micro News, Volume 27, Issue 8, 15:64-65, April 2005.
Montero JA, Bartels LJ, Herman BC, Sinnott JT. Tuberculous otitis. Infect in Med; 19:72, 2002.
Herman BC. Mycobacterium paratuberculosis: A role in Crohn's disease? The Indian Practitioner; 54:3, 2001.
Abstracts
Velez M, Casanas B, Greene J, Sandin R. Pasteurella multocida Infections in Cancer Patients. 47th Annual Meeting Infectious Disease Society of America, Philadelphia, 2009. – submitted.
Frank R, Casanas B. Meningitis and fungemia caused by amphotericin B resistant Cryptococcus neoformans, Focus on Fungal Infections, Sanibel Harbour, 2009.
Casanas B, Benemon C, Lewis J, Olwe B, Russ D, Samuel-Wyatte D, Zamore B. These are the factors of our TB. Hillsborough County Health Department. Bureau of TB & Refugee Health Statewide Meeting: As The World Turns With TB And Refugee Health, Orlando, 2008.
Casanas BC, Wallach P, DeBaldo A, Conaboy K, Bognar B, Charles P, Orriola J, Nugmanova Z, Yegeubaeva S, Fedullo E. Developing faculty curriculum skills while addressing population health needs, AMEE, 2006.
Gompf S, Herman BC, Tash K, Grafals M. Corneal ulcer: A glimpse of complexity, American College of Physicians, Jacksonville, 2004.